Forget Me Not
by BlazingMidnightRain
Summary: When the enemy of the world rises, so will its hero. But the world he woke to was not the same, nor were the faces; except one. AbelxEsther not exactly what you expect RnR
1. Prelude to Slumber

Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood, though I'd really like to. Neither do I own the poem, Robert Frost owns that.

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter I- Prelude to Slumber**

_**-Fire and Ice-**_

_Some say the world will end in fire,_

_Some say in ice._

_From what I've tasted desire_

_I hold with those who favor fire._

_But if it had to perish twice,_

_I think I know enough of hate_

_To say that for destruction ice_

_Is also great_

_And would suffice._

_**Robert Frost**_

I was born with him. I grew up with him. I learned to hate, and love with him. I was instructed to fight and kill with him. I experienced sorrow because of him, and learned about lose because of him. And in the end, I learned about sin, Heaven, and Hell because of his hate for all human kind; the hate that spurred my own. Because of him I learned more then a person should; I experienced more at his hands then I had ever dared possible.

Yes, I learned much from him; my twin brother Cain, and none of it doing me or mankind any good.

Now here I was, standing in a cemetery of a countryside church in Londinium, in the kingdom of Albion. In the very place everything was born anew; the blood, the hate, and the dreaded violence. I stood straight and proud, staring at him with my ice blue eyes, and a frigid unyielding expression on my face.

On his face, like always, was that angelic, misleading smile. He always was the beautiful one, the one radiating light. His six wings made of perfect white feathers, where my wings looked like sharp thorns, and radiating darkness; he was the perfect illustration of an angel. But he was no true angel. Cain Knightlord was the Angel of Death, and would bring only destruction to the world.

Our meeting was no coincidence, with Cain coincidences didn't exist. This is where the war for the end or freedom of the world would end, or so I silently hoped. I would fight Cain with everything I had at 100 Crusnick, and he the same. I will fight above this little church my funeral had once taken place in, and win. Yes, with Lilith's blood I could defeat Cain; I refuse to loose. And if I did loose, I would not only fail the world, but more importantly, I would fail Lilith, and Esther; sweet, lively, loving Esther.

I won't die here; I won't die by Cain's hand again and leave the people dear to me behind in despair. If I couldn't win the fight, I'd find a way to take Cain with me. I knew a way; all I had to do was to try it.

Stopping to stare at Cain's smiling face; I remembered Sister Esther's beautiful face. I remembered her dreadful screams and tears as my last breath was breathed, to echo in the darkness called Death. I don't want to put her through that again. _**It**_ wasn't going to happen again, it would be a fate far worse then death.

"…_Esther…"_ I thought, silently praying for God's guidance and protection in her reign, as I removed my glasses with a gloved hand.

"Hello Abel," mockingly smiled the Angel of Death.

"This is the last time Cain," I stated flatly, ice lacing my words. "I won't let you destroy this world."

He smiled at me; eyes falling shut. I didn't return it, just stared blankly back.

Not letting this meeting going on more then it needed to, I flatly acknowledged my limitation to 100, as my twin did the same. With our power at its maximum we clashed in flashes of ruby and sapphire lightning; fighting a fight centuries old.

I, Abel Nightroad will not fall without taking my hated brother with me.

_But if it had to perish twice,_

_I think I know enough of hate_

_To say that for destruction ice_

_Is also great_

_And would suffice._

A/N: yea, here another fanfic to add to my endless list of ongoing fics (sighs). I wouldn't have done it if it hadn't left my brain alone. But the funny thing here is that I'm not Christian, but instead Wiccan (laughs aloud) figure that one out! XD but enough of my drabbles, the important thing is that this fic is pasted off of both the manga and anime, so yea. And the next twist is in the next chapter, so stay tuned to…

**Forget Me Not**: **Chapter 2- 6 Feet Above**

Cheers,

BLAZE

**R.I.P- Sunao Yoshida-sensei**


	2. Opposite of 6 Feet Under

Disclaimer: no matter how much I want Abel to be mine, I'm always going to fall short…along with everyone else (depressed sigh)

**Last Time:**

I, Abel Nightroad will not fall without taking my hated brother with me.

_But if it had to perish twice,_

_I think I know enough of hate_

_To say that for destruction ice_

_Is also great_

_And would suffice._

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter II- Opposite of 6 Feet Under**

"_I hear…the sorrowful creaking…of old…wings…"_

She woke from her restless slumber with a quick lurch of wakefulness, sitting up in the blackness of her bedroom. She didn't remember what she had been dreaming; just the some jerky awakenings happening every night was beginning to more then annoy the azure eyed girl. Something woke her every night for the last two weeks for no reason and now it began to more then merely worry her.

Looking into the pitch blackness, the once slumbering teen found nothing and heard nothing that could have disturbed her rest. Yet something was indeed in fact different, something was off this time that she couldn't put her finger on. She was about to just shrug it off and fall back to soothing sleep when a loud harsh sound filled the old abandoned building. It was soon followed by the same sound again; some one was knocking on the church's doors.

With liquid grace, the teen leapt to her feet, pulling on her high-heeled boots as she went, bolting for the aged wood door. Appearing in the hallway, she pivoted to her right, sprinting down the unlit hall to the heavy ancient oak door. Pushing the door wide, the teen stepped forth into the chapel lit with faintly with candles. Coming to stand in front of the chapel's alter the girl just stared wide eyed as a knock came again, but more urgent this time.

"Who would show up at an abandoned church at this time of night?" the girl asked herself softly aloud. Her words though, were swallowed by the rusty hinges of the double doors groaning in protest as they were pushed wide upon the stranger's entrance.

He had woken to a numbing cold that went straight down to the bone. He had roused to a world full of black nothingness he couldn't tell when his eyes were open or closed. Asking aloud where he was, he found that there was no answer to his raspy spoken question; to him, his voice didn't even sound like his. Fumbling around with numb gloved fingers, the lone man in darkness found his hands meet a wall a few inched from his body. Feeling around, he had come upon the horrific realization that he was underground; berried alive.

Then the memories came back. He remembered the final battle he had fought with everything he had. Remembered the fact that he was unable to defeat his foe; so upon that conclusion he had chosen to bind his foe to him and burry them beneath the earth. To stay there for all of eternity, but it wasn't eternity he had woken to. No this was different and the fact that the link he had with his enemy was gone, told him what happened; his enemy was free and he had no choice but to follow.

With all the strength he had left in his withered weak body, the man thrust himself from the earth. The cool fresh hair filled his lungs instantly, and he savored the sensation. Sound filled his ears, so many noises that were both foreign and familiar. But with unfocused eyes behind dirtied glasses, the dirt covered man pulled himself fully from the earth to find it was a cemetery he had risen from. He tried to ignore the words carved on into the moss covered headstone above the empty grave, but the words…

_Abel Nightroad; loved and never forgotten..._

Had a certain affect on him.

So being in an old eerie cemetery, the newly awakened man looked for the House of Worship that was certain to be nearby. And it was, but it was a disgrace in all aspects. The ceiling was caving in places, stone work was missing or just crumbling away, the bell tower was lacking just that, a bell. And the once gorgeous stain glass windows were mostly shattered memories of their former glory. A place he had once looked to for guidance was a building unfit for a beggar.

Yet here he now stood before the aged wood doors, knocking the iron lion-head door knocker half heartedly. Course he could walk in, but the slight candle light from within stopped him. Perhaps there was one other person who sought shelter this night in a house of Christian faith. So the dirt encrusted man knocked again more roughly with no answers.

"_Alright then,"_ he thought to himself. _"I'll invite myself in; don't mind if I do." _And pushing open the rusty hinged doors, he walked in on wobbling legs.

Closing the door behind him, the tall lone man turned once more to the halter, and walked down the dirt and leaf covered aisle. His ice blue eyes hardly had the strength to look up so he remained staring at his heavily booted feet. Course as weak as he was, he was not surprised to watch his vision fade in and out of focus, even with his glasses on.

Following his unfocused gaze was the inability to see all together, soon to be accompanied with the incapability to lift his feet. Finally to be topped off by being unable to stand on legs that seemed as brittle and fragile as porcelain. Feeling the world sway and swirl about him, the man let his knees buckle and gravity take him to the cold stone floor.

He heard something fill the hollowed out and drearier church, but only took it as his heartbeat thumping in his ears. But upon feeling nimble fingers of a gentle hand upon his brow and cheek, he knew that the sound had been the sound of a gasp reverberating off the walls.

Opening his silver lashed eyes, the weak man upon the floor saw little more then a silhouette of a young woman. Against the few candles at the halter outlining her, she seemed part of a shadowy dream; a phantom of his past, but she seemed whole enough to him. He could even make out the color of her hair…it was red; a bright, brilliant red.

"_Red…"_

He knew two women that had such colored hair, a very rare shade of red.

"Lil…ith…" he mouthed out hoping to find his once cheerful voice, but no voice came at all. And upon looking further through slit blurry eyes, the collapsed male saw his folly. This was not the woman he had grown up with. No, this was someone he had come to know far later on.

With as much strength as he could muster, he was able to crock out one name. "Esth…er…"

The shadow shrouded woman looked down at him; he could not see her face still, no matter how hard he tried.

"Can you hear me?" she spoke softly but clearly. "Can you tell me your name?"

He wanted to smile that goofy smile he was know for, but found the strength to do even that was lacking. Did the little sister already forget him?

"Don't you remember me Esther," he asked again with his raspy voice, even that was sounding steadily weaker. "It's me…Father Abel…Abel Nightroad…"

There was no answer from the shadow draped figure above the fallen priest, as she kneeled by his side. Abel struggled to keep his eyes open, but fatigue, and lack of nourishment was taking its toll on even his body. So as he stared blankly into where he thought the face was, found nothing but impenetrable shadow. Through his travels tracking his enemy it was always her face that kept him going, kept him hoping and praying for the best.

"_Abel," _ he said to himself as he remembered what led up to where he was, while unconsciousness came down on him like a title wave. _"My name is Abel Nightroad; traveling priest for the Vatican…"_

Before he fully finished the though blackness took over the man's vision and mind.

The shadow figure looped a strand of red hair behind her ear, both concerned for the priest, as well as perplexed. All her thoughts were racing with confused and unanswered questions.

"Father Abel Nightroad…" she whispered aloud softly gazing at the handsome man on her church's floor. She had questions to ask indeed, but those could wait, this man needed help and she was the one to give it. "Ok then, let's get you to a bed…"

Lifting and getting the unconscious man to her bed proved more difficult then the red head had expected. Not only was he six foot some to her five-four, he's robes were heavy black material, and the armor he wore over one shoulder and else where didn't help. Yet she didn't give up and soon made it to her bedroom to where the only bed lay.

"Ok Esther, almost there," she said to encourage herself to keep moving. Reaching the bed the young woman laid the priest along its length. "Alright now…hard parts done…" Looking over her mystery patient Esther let a groan fill her throat.

The priest was filthy, with tattered clothing and all. In order to check for wounds Esther had to take it all off. And she already felt the blush flaming on her cheeks at the mere thought of removing the black priest robes.

"Maybe I won't go that far…I'll just…stop at the waist…"

And stop at the waist she did. Upon removing the armor and overcoat, which proved difficult, the young redhead managed to remove them. Reaching the shirt, she pulled it open to check for wounds. And instead got a way more muscular chest then she had ever expected for a Father, let alone any normal male. His chest was pale and flawless; muscular yet lean. Esther blushed anew, but turned her azure gaze to the nasty bruising on his left side. She knew instantly that the handsome priest had at least broken two of his ribs.

So Esther went about helping the hapless Father with practiced hands. Finding nothing but the broken rips the young teen went to fetch food. Though muscular as he was, he looked so frail and starved she was sure even her delicate touch would shatter his otherworldly beauty. So bringing some bread soaked in warm broth Esther found that in her absence a fever had taken her silver haired patient by storm.

"Father Abel," she called in his ear to see if the unconscious man woke; he didn't.

So Esther's night was full of bustling about over the fevered priest. Appling cool compresses and the hope of getting food in him, she watched on. Through the night Esther stood watch as the silver haired man broke out in a cold sweat and convulsing shivers. The only hope for him was to sweat it out beneath all the blankets she had piled on him. As the moon rouse on the second night the redheaded teen saw that the Father's fever had finally broken. Seeing the chest beneath the blankets slowly raise and fall, she sighed in contentment; now she could get some well earned sleep.

Climbing into a nearby moth eaten and musty cushioned armchair, Esther curled up and fell into a peaceful sleep. Her dreams were of handsome silver haired priests and flying rose pedals, all the while she stood in the blackness and the rhythmic thrumming of wings in the distance filled her ears. The mere sound of those wings filling her with an emotion that she did not know.

"_I hear… the sorrowful creaking…of old…wings…but from where?"_

A/N: there another chapter done hope this encourages you all to keep up with the story. Are any of you confused, even a little bit? I hope you kinda are confused; it was what I was going for. XD but don't feel bad, it'll get clearer later on, maybe (evil smirk) now its time for me to go back to reality. (groans and makes a face) I hate reality…

Cheers,

BLAZE

Push the little purple button that says GO, you know you what to!


	3. I Am Legend

Disclaimer: yeap, still don't own it (pout)

**Last Time:**

Climbing into a nearby moth eaten and musty cushioned armchair, Esther curled up and fell into a peaceful sleep. Her dreams were of handsome silver haired priests and flying rose pedals, all the while she stood in the blackness and the rhythmic thrumming of wings in the distance filled her ears. The mere sound of those wings filling her with an emotion that she did not know.

"_I hear… the sorrowful creaking…of old…wings…but from where?"_

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter III- I Am Legend**

With a soft moan, Able lifted his heavy lids finding not darkness like before, but deluded light illuminating his surroundings. Gazing about the battered and aged room the rousing priest found that he lay in an old but sturdy mahogany framed bed, covered with many blackest faded and warn; never the less warm. Turning his head about the fluffy pillow, Abel Nightroad saw a beautiful angel curled up in a moth eaten arm chair at his bedside.

Her crimson hair glowed in the late dawning light coming through the dirt pasted window pane, and between ancient wood boards. Her face was lax in peaceful slumber, the pale skin a rare shade of lightly sun-kissed ivory. The young girl's eyes were shut, letting the long ebony lashes rest against that perfect complexion. Abel didn't have to guess to know what color her eyes were; he knew all too well. It was indeed Esther he saw laying by his bedside, and he let a smile grace his handsome face. But as a breeze from the window blew, the resting priest saw the differences in the girl before him, and the memory of the girl he reluctantly left behind.

Though her hair was the shades of red he remembered t was, it was still different. It was short in the back, but not quite as short. Her bangs hung longer on her face and dyed a midnight black, shimmering blue in the light. Then there was her attire; worn and holly in places, the faded sweater she wore over what looked like a black tank top, hung off her slim shoulders; her figure fitting black pants were covered up to the knee by black button up boots. Yet even through the changes it was the same face that stimulated the silver haired priest's happy memories of old.

"…Esther…" he whispered hoping to rouse her slowly, but nothing was happening. "Miss Esther?"

The only answer to the priest received was a small incoherent murmur as she snuffled closer into the chair, hugging herself against the chill. Seeing that she was cold, Abel pushed himself up ignoring his body's aches and pains of protest. Grabbing his overcoat from the end of the bed, to find it both cleaned and mended to Abel's surprise. Obviously the shore had been done by the sleeping angle, so the silver haired man proceeded to place the heavy coat over her huddled form.

"Mmm," moaned the sleeping teen as her lids fluttered open.

Abel politely grinned. "Did I weak you?"

The red head turned to the soft voice to find her patient standing by her chair, with his coat over her. "…Father…?" She groaned as she struggled to wipe away the sleepiness from her azure eyes. "What are you doing up? You should be resting; you have some broken rigs and your fever just broke last night."

The tall pale priest flashed a wide smile down at the girl whose worried expression moved him. "I'm alright Esther; I'll heal in no time."

Esther nit her crimson brows together as if contemplating something as she slowly rouse from her chair. Abel could almost hear the creaking of her poor aching muscles; he knew an all nighter in a chair was not fun.

"None the less Father, I would prefer it if you at least sat down while I fetch some tea and broth for you." The blue eyed teen looked over the awfully skinny priest. "You look like you need something more, but bread and broth would be better for your stomach." So with that said she rouse from the chair and strode to the closed door in silence.

Abel watched the Sister go. He had expected to be leapt upon when she saw he was alive and well, as well as awake, but this girl was way more reserved in his presence. Sitting down in the chair he let his head lull to the side in slight slumber. His thoughts were aimed completely on the mystery of what happened to his little Queen. Could the life of nobility been so harsh and cruel that the shinning star Esther was twinkled out? Abel doubted that was the case, Esther Blanchett was a delicate flower at times, but a determination he had seen in few; the stubbornness to follow as well. She was not one to fall victim to anything easily.

"What could have changed?" he whispered aloud to himself.

The soft creaking of the door told the priest of Esther's return. Turning his head, Abel's tongue lulled out of his mouth to fall to the floor at the loud of food the young woman had piled onto the tray she carried. Given it was all light food an ill person would eat, but there was a lot of it. And to one side, in plain but whole porcelain cup was a cup of freshly brewed tea. The steam from it bellowing into the air like a wispy fog upon a river in spring; the starving man silently prayed that there were thirteen sugars hidden somewhere on that wood tray.

Esther placed the heavy laid tray on the night table at the chair's right arm. "There you are Father, stuck in, but slowly."

And he did. Able mowed down the food with more manners and restraint then he normally did. Once done with the loud of food the stuffed Father moved to put thirteen sugars in his tea, but there was no sugar.

Eyes holding a bewildered look, Abel stared at the girl sitting on the bed across from him. She sat with her right leg crossed over her left, while lining back with her hand further back to brace her. Pure sapphire eyes starring back at him as he took the hot brew in hand.

"Is…sugar…" he started awkwardly and unable to finish.

"Yes, there are thirteen sugars in there. I know, low blood sugar, right?" smirked the relaxed teen atop the bed.

Abel flashed his goofy grin as she pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Thank you Sister Esther, you're an angel!!"

The teen sobered at the title as the priest forgot his tea to watch her face turn serious. "I'm not Sister Esther Blanchett, the deceased Queen of Albion Father; I'm just Esther."

The crimson and ebony haired young woman watched as the priest went pale with shock, and she thought he couldn't go any paler. Esther watched politely as the realization of his mistake took hold of him. The cup in his gloveless hands rippling as his long and large hands shook.

"D-Deceased?" he asked hoarsely, voice slightly breaking along with something inside him.

The girl nodded as she sat straighter, but kept her booted feet crossed. "Tell me Father Abel, how many years to you think have past?"

Father Nightroad gulped nervously as h stared numbly at his Esther's twin. _"Could she really be dead?"_ he asked himself. Looking to the cup in his hand, he found himself no longer wanting it. "I don't know…"

"About a hundred and fifty years give or take if my counting isn't off," came the abrupt but soft answer.

Silence reigned down on the small aged room like a heavy night fog, weighing down on passer-bys. Thick and brimming with moisture that if felt like one's lungs were filled with water rather then air when inhaling. However, the heavy silence that weighed upon the two residences was disrupted by the shattering porcelain tea cup as it struck the swept wood floor. Shards of broken china dripping tea flavored sugar scattered across Esther's bedroom floor.

Sighing softly, Esther looked at the even paler Father Abel Nightroad. She had expected him to take bad, but she didn't' expect her best china to end up on the ground in pieces.

"Esther's dead…everyone's dead…" he whispered aloud but not to the other person of the room. His ice blue eyes were blank in horrified shock, while shimmering with unshed tears.

The red haired teen saw this, and felt that there could have been a better way to break the news to the priest. "Not everyone is dead," she said hoping to encourage him to look on the brighter side of things. "I'm sure the methuselah you know are still alive."

This did get a reaction out of Abel as he once more focused on the new Esther set before him with the face of the dead to mock him. "How do you know so much," he asked cautiously; uncertainty and distrust sending warning bells off in his brain. "Are you family?"

The teen softly shook her head staring into her lap. "With the RosenKreus Orden gaining power Her Majesty thought it was wise to have a double; that double was my grandmother. And then my mother was Esther's daughter's double, so I would have been Esther II's daughter had she lived long enough to rule." A small sad smile crept across the teen's pale face, sapphire eyes growing weary. "In a way you could say we were family; we were always together. We were all so close of friends we **were** family. Her Majesty Esther I was like a second grandmother to me."

Lifting her head the teen felt her ebony bangs sway against her face as she stared at the priest across from her. "She told me stories of you. How Father Abel Nightroad, the clumsy, surprisingly reliable priest went about his missions getting in and out of trouble." A small smile lifted the corner of the red head's rosy lips. "She spoke very highly of you Abel. Her Majesty told me how you met and how she followed you to Rome in the hope of finding answers. And the missions you had together; given she couldn't go into detail with the AX still in commission, but she told me as much as she dared."

The silver, blue eyed Father sat perplexed and awed. He never knew Esther idealized him quite so much, he didn't even deserve it. Looking to his tea, Abel found his hand empty of their precious treasure; his favorite thing was scattered on the floor at his feet, ruined. Raising his eyes to the girl across from him saw that she stared patiently down at his booted feet of his reaction to her words.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly he finally spoke. "Tell me what as changed sin my last battle."

"Your last battle with Cain took place in the kingdom once known as Albion. With the fall of the Orden's leader gone, Caterina and Sister Esther had thought that everything was done, but RosenKreus did not withdrawal, they became stronger; if that's even possible. When Queen Esther died at 95 her daughter took the thrown, but after some years of war the Kingdom of Albion fell to the Orden and now belongs to them. Her Majesty Esther II was publicly executed before the city's masses. Her daughter would have been killed the same should she not have been able to escape. She was never found by the Albion's loyal people, or the RosenKreus Orden. I tired my hardest to find her, but I failed her; I beat she died alone with the thoughts of how many hated her."

"Don't say such things," panicky spoken Abel leaping to his feet before the young teen to take her by the shoulders. "She could still be alive; we just have to have faith that God will keep her safe till we find her!"

Esther smiled a sad knowing smile as her eyes fell shut, her head lining to the side; Abel grew rigid at the sight of the devastating smile. "You don't under stand Father," she whispered half-heartedly. "I found her one night years ago, sick and dying in an alleyway in the bad portions of the city. I couldn't save her, so she made me leave her there…the closet thing I had to a sister, and the last of my family…I left her die there..."

Faster then Esther could guess how Abel's reaction to the news would be, he was kneeling before her, pulling her into a comforting embrace.

"My apologies Esther," he croaked in her ear; his hot breath sending shivers down her spinal cord. "No one should experience such a loose. But we can only pray for their happiness in Heaven." Abel straightened withdrawing from the teen to smile warmly at her from where he kneeled. "You need not let all this trouble you so deeply, I'm here to help you now; I'm on your side."

Esther's eyes widened in surprise at the words the first Queen Esther had told her Abel Nightroad had told her many times. She silently wondered if she too felt her heart do flip flops at the priest's words as hers did now.

"…Thank you Father…" she murmured warmly as she bowed her head.

Sitting once more, the legendary priest eyed the young red haired woman more seriously under his strong yet warm relentless gaze; the teen adjusted herself uncomfortably under the gaze. She knew him to be analyzing her, but she didn't know what for though, it made her terribly uneasy. And Abel noticed this, so after a pregnant moment of eerie silence, he broke it.

"Aren't you a bit young to say that you knew Sister Esther? If a hundred and fifty years have passed you should be older."

Esther grinned, but nodded unable to find her voice as her azure eyes clash with the glacier blue ones.

"How?" It was a simple question, and one that could not go unanswered; there was no dodging this for young Esther.

She swallowed as she called up her courage. "I'm methuselah, mostly. As the royal family caretakers we were to marry the same race as our Lady's married."

The tall silver hair Father instantaneously knew what this new Esther was saying. "Who did Esther marry," he asked calmly, more calmly then he felt, but the anxiousness was still in his voice.

The cobalt eyed girl gulped again as she rung her hand in her lap. "Ion Fortuna; after your final battle with Cain they later on married, so a cross between methuselah and terran was born in a daughter. Esther II took a methuselah husband as well, so their daughter was mostly methuselah, but quarter terran; I am the same. I look roughly sixteen years old, but in terran years I'm actually eighteen."

Abel nodded, it made sense that if she was ¾ methuselah she would live longer, age slower and have the same abilities as well. But the pain of _**his**_ Esther marring another affected him more then the old priest could ever expect it to. Esther had been everything to him and he had hated leaving her behind, but if Cain learned of his true feelings for Esther, she would have been targeted. Abel was deeply surprised and deeply thankful that she was never a target for the RosenKreus Orden.

"She loved you, yea know."

The priest's head shot up with such a force the adjacent girl heard his neck crack, and watched as the silver hair flew about his face in its unbound state.

"W-What?" gapped Abel dumbfounded and unsure of what he had thought he heard Esther say.

The red and ebony haired Esther smiled, her eyes falling to mere slits. "Esther Blanchett loved you Father Abel. Though she married, her and Ion's relationship was strictly friendship. She spoke of you often with love and admiration in her wise eyes. Through her and her love you lived on long passed when you could have passed on; you're living legend Abel."

Esther saw shock in Abel's eyes as her words hit him full force. She smiled, he worse his emotions so clearly on his face when she was not used to it; it was refreshing. "She told me when I met you to tell you she was sorry. How she knew I'd meet you, I'll never know."

"Sorry for what?"

Esther sighed struggling for words. "She didn't explain it very well; she was on her death bed when she told me. But she wanted to apologize for being the cause of your death. She knew it was her fault; you hesitated because of her she said and she apologies for it."

It was Abel's turn to sigh, but his was far deeper and slower, as he lined back in the chair he sat in. He felt so emotionally trained then as he heard his little Star's pasted on apology. He did hesitate because of her; **he** wanted to protect her from what he was.

"Apology not needed, but gladly accepted," he whispered closing his glacial eyes behind the rounded glasses.

Creaking of the bed ropes told the resting priest of Esther's rising form. "You look exhausted Father Abel, please rest; you need it. I've told you a lot of overwhelming news and it has yet to sink fully in." She left for the door and opened it, hesitated however; she turned back to the still sitting man. "Sweet dreams Abel," and she was out he door and down the dark dank hall of the abandoned church.

Removing his glasses and placing them on the nightstand Abel crawled once more into the bed he had vacated not much earlier. "Sweet dreams Esther…" And peaceful sleep took him; much to his surprise.

A/N: there we are a new chapter up and ready to be read! Hope this update explains a lot more. So we have an AbelxEsther pairing, just not quite what we were expecting. I wanted to start this fic off the ending theme song, and the anticlimactic battle between Cain and Abel (pouts, what's her bloody final official battle scene!) Well I hope those that have starting reading this like it, and don't mind where I went with it; something new and creative…I hope! Well I'm off to bed now, SWEET DREAMS EVERYONE!!

Cheers,

BLAZE

PLEASE PUSH THE PRETTY PURPLE BUTTON: no reviews, no updates (insert ticking out tongue here)


	4. Of Burdens and Broken Wings

Disclaimer: no matter how hard I want to, I will never own Trinity Blood and Abel Nightroad…how depressing…(sigh)

**Last Time:**

"W-What?" gapped Abel dumbfounded and unsure of what he had thought he heard Esther say.

The red and ebony haired Esther smiled, her eyes falling to mere slits. "Esther Blanchett loved you Father Abel. Though she married, her and Ion's relationship was strictly friendship. She spoke of you often with love and admiration in her wise eyes. Through her and her love you lived on long passed when you could have passed on; you're living legend Abel."

--

Creaking of the bed ropes told the resting priest of Esther's rising form. "You look exhausted Father Abel, please rest; you need it. I've told you a lot of overwhelming news and it has yet to sink fully in." She left for the door and opened it, hesitated however; she turned back to the still sitting man. "Sweet dreams Abel," and she was out he door and down the dark dank hall of the abandoned church.

Removing his glasses and placing them on the nightstand Abel crawled once more into the bed he had vacated not much earlier. "Sweet dreams Esther…" And peaceful sleep took him; much to his surprise.

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter IV-Of Burdens and Broken Wings**

Abel woke to diluted orange-red light, so he assumed in his half wakeful state that it was either dawn or dusk. Feeling refreshed and well, the silver haired man roused himself from the quaint, but tattered bed performing a full body stretch; hands above his head, while lining slightly backward, his spinal cord cracking up the full length of his back. Yawning as the giant stretch was finished Abel looked for the red and black haired guardian angel he had met and befriended.

Esther wasn't there, she had been though. The tray of food was gone and the spilt tea and china was cleaned up, and not only that, his clothes and armor were laid out before him on the end of the bed. Ready and waiting for him to dress himself, which he did right away.

Looking to the door Abel strode to it on his long limbs while pulling on his gloves and pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Reaching the aged door, the blue eyed priest stopped dead in his tracks before the wooden panel. Beyond the heavy door came an angelic voice he had never heard in his long and burdened life. Opening the door quietly, Abel hoped to catch sight of the entity singing such a mournful melody.

Taking a right down the hall, the traveling priest came to the large and heavy oak door that separated the living courters from the rest of the church. Pushing it with the hope of it not creaking, the tall and lanky man stepped out into the chapel, instantly recognizing the church he stayed in.

Candles stood lit and twinkling on their tarnished stands. Tapestries hung loosely from the ceiling, moth eaten and moldy. Pews were many, but few were still whole and able to sit in. As glacial eyes wandered the chapel, there atop the steps of the alter was a casket. It was abnormally large in length, but the width seemed remained normal. What truly had caught Abel Nightroad's attention was the color of the object. Where coffins were sturdy wood in different shades of brown and tan, this casket however, was stained so darkly it was black. A coal black with gold inlay on the top shaped in a beautiful designed cross, and surrounding it in a perfect circle was a wreath of crimson roses, accompanied by small blue flowers. The tall standings candles casting pale but golden light across both flowers and coffin, giving the place a sense of sorrow and despair, but still a sense of hope lurked underneath it all.

Abel knew this coffin; he knew this aging and ancient church. This was the very church he had his funeral in. The very church he and Cain had fought above in the sky, both 100 Crusnick. The silver haired Father turned to the young woman playing the piano softly in the halo of light the many candles gave off, from where they stood about the coffin. Around her and the musical instrument were flowers just like the ones on his deserted casket. The roses and blue flowers grew from where the stone floor had been rushed and thrown aside, making way for an indoor garden.

The icy eyes of the Vatican priest wanted over the girl's figure. He noticed the similarities between his Sister Esther and this Esther, but the differences were many as well. Abel opened his mouth to call her name, but his words were droned out by the sound of the piano being played. It flowed in and around him, being forth the memories of a smiling sapphire eyed red head. He knew the song well; Abel remembered the times the song and voice had reached in his 150 year slumber. It was a sorrowful song, but beautiful none the less.

The teen's nimble pale fingers playing across the ebony and ivory keys with perfection, telling Father Abel that she knew what she was doing. Even from where he stood at her back, the silver haired priest had the feeling that her eyes were closed. She was playing the song from memory, and it was obvious that she knew it well. So the wandering priest remained where he was, motionless and silent, letting the angels' voice that was more then beautiful fill him with memories of old.

_I know this will not remain forever_

_However it's beautiful_

_Your eyes, hands and your warm smile_

_They're my treasure_

_It's hard to forget_

_I wish there was a solution_

_Don't spend your time in confusion_

_I'll turn back now and spread_

_My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with_

_My broken wings how far should I go drifting in the wind_

_Higher and higher in the light_

_My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with_

_My broken wings how far should I go drifting in the wind_

_Across the sky, just keep on flying_

_Bridge_

_Did I ever chain you down to my heart_

_'Cause I was afraid of you?_

_No, I couldn't hold any longer_

_Love is not a toy_

_Let go of me now_

_The time we spent is perpetual_

_Our future is not real_

_So I'll leap into the air_

_My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with_

_My broken wings how far should I go drifting in the wind_

_Higher and higher in the light_

_My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with_

_My broken wings how far should I go drifting in the wind_

_Across the sky, just keep on flying_

_Outro_

_What's falling from the sky…is not rain_

The song grew to a mournful and slow end and Abel felt emotionally drained from the song. He knew it was this girl that had sun every night, almost as if to ease his restless self-induced comatose. He stared at the girl before the piano as she merely sat there as if staring blankly at the keys that now lay motionless.

"It was a beautiful song," he softly said, it was however, louder as it bounced off the remaining stone walls. Abel saw the young teen jump and spin on the bench that threatened to topple at the action to look at him as he stood before the steps.

"What did you say?" Esther asked shakily as her cheeks took on a pink hue.

Abel smiled gently from where he stood. "The song was beautiful Esther, as is your voice; I heard it many times while I slept."

The blush on her face grew in intensity as she slowly stood and strode through the flowers surrounding her, coming to a halt by the coffin's side. "Thank you Father," she murmured softly staring at the casket. "I hope it calmed you."

The travel priest gave the teen a sincere smile. "Indeed it did," he answered as he glacial eyes behind their round glasses wandered to the coffin she stood so solemnly by. Esther took notice of Abel's eyes wandering.

"You remember it then."

It wasn't really a question, other then a statement aimed at the obvious as she went to kneel by it. She draped one arm was across the casket's width, while her free hand hung over the golden cross. Esther's slim middle finger sliding over the crosses golden length, as it moved around the roses and blue flowers.

"Strange really," Abel heard her say to herself. "I was never told how you were resurrected. Her Majesty said she really didn't know; though she had her theories."

Abel calmed himself for what was certain to come after he voiced his next question. Taking a deep silent breath he spoke. "And what theories are those?"

Esther turned her cerulean eyes from the casket to the man that once had been dead inside it. "She never told me, she said I would find out someday. So she told me to sing the song she taught me, always telling me that I'd meet you."

Walking up the alter steps in a daze, his eyes never leaving Esther's warm ones, Abel softly spoke. "Sister Esther wrote that song?"

"Partially," whispered back the young red and ebony haired teen as she stood, staring up at the tall priest before her. "She hummed the tune; I wrote and voiced the lyrics."

Abel smiled warmly, and it grew wider at the sight of the young girl blushing and averting her eyes. "A duel effort then?" A nod was the only answer the priest received. Feeling it was the time to change topics; the silver haired man kneeled down and took a small blue, yellow throated flower in hand raising it to Esther's face while giving a soft smile. "Tell me Esther, what are these flowers; I've never seen them before."

"Forget Me Not," she murmured taking the steam of the colorful living entity from Abel's gloved hand. "One to never forget me by," Esther said and reached down and plucked a scarlet rose from the wreath atop the coffin. "And one to forgive and love me by…or so the Queen said to me before she died."

"I don't need flowers to remember her by," he spoke rather roughly, but not angrily. He wasn't angry with Esther Blanchett, merely frustrated that she thought everything was her fault. _"Course I won't forget having to stare into the same face every day now,"_ thought the Vatican's traveling priest.

"So how are you feeling?"

The inquiry about his health from the teen was sudden and came unexpectedly for Abel Nightroad, who was absorbed in his own thoughts.

"What?" gapped Abel slowly returning to himself.

Esther softly smiled at him, her sapphire eyes full of mirth that was directed at him. "How are you feeling; how are you ribs? Because if you're up to it, I was hoping to go out and get something to eat, being that I have nothing but porridge and tea here. I thought I'd treat the great Father Abel Nightroad to dinner."

Abel was dumbstruck to say the least. No one had ever taken him out to dinner before, not of their own free will, and certainly not without the Vatican's money. So with giddy excitement bubbling up in him, he stared at Esther with admiration and stars in his eyes.

"Esther you're an absolute angel," he squealed with delight as he swept the girl into an ecstatic hug and twirling her about.

She was shocked at first at Abel's sudden leap on her person. The priest's liveliness and excitement however, made the normally somber Esther act abnormally. The red and ebony haired methuselah teen found herself laughing with her new friend and returning the embrace.

"It's my pleasure Father," she whispered stepping back after having both feet back on the ground. And to further show her joy at the situation, she smiled fully up into Abel's wide goofy grin. "I know the perfect place; safe and quiet."

"Lead the way my dear," exclaimed the silver haired Father as he followed the young girl from behind. It was then that Abel noticed something tucked away into the boot top of his teenage companion. "Esther? Is that my gun?"

She stopped in the middle of the aisle and gave a soft smile over her shoulder as she turned half way to him. It worried Abel to say the least that this young girl carried such a weapon with such calm and pose. He had the feeling that this wasn't the first time that young Esther had carried a deadly firearm.

"It is your revolver," she said calmly drawing it from her leg she examined it with a keen eye. "This thing is way out of date Father Abel, you need something new."

"Why," pouted Abel childishly. Though he didn't like seeing Esther so calm around weapons he was happy to see the gloomy girl laughing and giving sincere smiles, even if they had a sense of despair and brokenness lurking in their upturned motion.

"This thing is ancient Father. You'd be lucky to find bullets for this thing, and if you did they'd cost you an arm and a leg, and then some." Esther looked at the slightly put out priest wishing she had thought through her choice of action. "I'm going to sell it with your permission to get something similar but more up to date. Hopefully we'll get some extra cash as well." Esther looked meekly up at the handsome man and held up the unloaded firearm. "My apologies Father Nightroad for not consulting with you first; I should have spoken to you before making up my mind."

In her delicate pale hand, Esther spun the weapon so the handle was now pointed toward the weapon's owner. While to Abel's horror the evil death and pain inflicting barrel remained pointed at her chest. The glacial eyed Abel took the presented weapon and slid it home in the holster under his overcoat and armored shoulder.

"You have experience with guns?" he asked as calmly as possible, but the slight snap in his voice showed how much he obviously disapproved.

The teen nodded solemnly. "Nothing special, jus the basics; self-defense is essential in this city. If you don't know how to protect yourself, you're as good as dead here." And with an innocent smile at the traveling priest, Esther pointed to the doors of the run down church. "Shall we?"

Forcing a smile Abel Nightroad fell into step with the redheaded girl at his side. _"Yes,"_ he said to himself anxiously. _"I want to see what has changed."_

And to the old priest's surprise it hadn't changed as quite as much as he had expected. The technology hadn't changed too much from what he could tell, and neither had the buildings other then the fact that the city was closer now. There were more cars then normal, but there were still horses and carriages. People bustling about the city were surprisingly grim and depressing. The people of Londinium used to be full of life and shine; where had that shine gone?

Weaving his way through the crowd while sticking close to his young companion, Abel stared on taking in the sights, or lack of as he should say. The whole city seemed to be falling into despair and ruin.

"Is this what the Orden did? Does the whole capital look like this; a slum?"

Esther, grim beside him glared into the crowd and they parted for them by sheer reaction to the intensity of the defiant stare. "The rich part of Albion's capital remained the same, but that's for the RosenKreuz members and the individuals on their side, but not part of the order. The rest of us have to live in this dump and hell hole!" Course even in her anger at how Albion had fallen, Esther held her tongue on stating that it was more then likely that Cain was already there in the palace gaining rest as well.

Abel gapped and stammered at the girl that had just sputtered profanity in front of a clergyman. She must have noticed his shock, because a warm blush grew on her face. Her anxious blue eyes looked up at him in hesitation.

"Sorry Father Abel, I forgot my company," she whispered as she came to a stop before a small and quiet café.

Abel smiled a goofy grin, accepting the apology while returning his glacial eyes to the café before him. It was well lit, but darkly furnishing and it reminded Abel to much of methuselah, but he was never one to pass judgment. He trusted Esther; the Esther that was both different yet the same, but he could trust her, that he knew without a doubt.

The soft dinging of the bell atop the front door sounding out their entrance seemed too sweet and happy for the solemn outdoors. Once inside the café Abel found the atmosphere was way more different then he expected. Inside the small homely café he felt warm, content and oddly enough safe. It caused the priest to think more deeply on the things in the new world he had woken to. Before he could though, a slightly plump woman dressed in a faded peasant dressed complete with an ivory apron, brown hair cropped short, and curling about her face waddled out of the back kitchen.

"Oh," gasped the middle aged woman with her brown eyes wide as she took in Abel. "A Vatican operative," she gapped as her eyes fell on a patiently waiting and innocently smiling Esther. "You certainly acquaint yourself with a dangerous crowd my dear Esther."

"Dangerous!?" exclaimed Abel with a devastated expression on his face feeling insulted. "I'm hardly dangerous mad'am!"

Esther let a light laugh leave her lips as she made her way to a window booth in the corner. Abel and the hostess and obvious owner followed suit both intrigued by the sound of the teen's soft pleasant laughter.

"Come now Mad'am Leeore," chimed Esther seating herself. "Father Nightroad is only dangerous when he's being a klutz, which is normally all the time."

Abel sighed both in defeat and dramatic despair. "Honestly Miss Esther," he whined, glacial eyes wide with his devastated expression behind his round glasses. "We just met, how can you be so cruel?!"

The red and ebony haired methuselah teen smothered a giggle from behind her hand as she looked up at the hostess. "I'll have what I normally do," she turned to Abel with a soft half-hearted smile on her face. "Have whatever you want Father Abel."

With the enthusiasm of a child at Christmas, Abel scanned the menu given to him by Mad'am Leeore. Finding what he wanted, the silver haired bottomless pit rattled off three different main courses and an extra large cup of tea with of course…thirteen sugars. All the while the redhead across from him sank into her seat, awed and dumbstruck.

With a pleasant goodbye, the round hostess left to fetch the food and tea. Abel sat surprisingly still, eyeing the young girl before him as she gazed longingly out of the window. Her sapphire eyes staring into the night as the people on the street slowly lessened.

"Are you alright Miss Esther?" quietly questioned the priest. Sapphire jewels turned toward him as the face slowly followed. The contrast between the blue and overly pale skin shocked Abel. "You're pale Esther, are you ill?"

She gave the older handsome man a slight smirk before rising. "I…just need some air," and the teen was out the door before Abel could worry or protest.

Mad'am Leeore came not to long after with food and drink for her only two customers, but seeing that one was gone she looked at the Vatican priest for answers. "Where did Esther go?"

Abel still staring at the door softly answered, concern rippling in his voice. "She was pale, and said she needed some air. Will she be alright you think?" he asked the plump hostess, searching for reassurance.

The middle aged woman smiled remaining silence as if keeping a secret and laid the food before the six foot priest. "Tuck in," she chirped and Abel ignoring her silence took her advice. He inhaled the food rather then swallowing it, and it earned him a giggle from the café owner. "I don't know how you did if Father Nightroad, but I thank for it."

"Fer Fhat?" spoke Abel through his mouthful of food.

The mad'am smothered her laughter as she turned to stare solemnly out the front door. "You didn't know her very well before you met her, but Esther is a burdened girl, very burdened. She lives at that run down church not out of lack of living anywhere else; I offered to have her live here, but she turned me down. She told me she had to be there; as if she had a duty to do, and refused to leave." Mad'am Leeore said nothing for a time as she stared after the invisible red and ebony haired young woman. "Esther never laughed, hardly smiled at all, but when she did smile, those smiles always held a sense of sadness about them. She was just a lost gloomy child with nothing to look forward to or look back on, but then something changed."

Abel intrigued about this new information of his little companion looked up at his hostess with earnest. "What changed?"

"You, Father Nightroad," murmured the plump woman wiping away her tears. "She never laughed or smiled, and you came along making her shine like the angel she is. I thought I'd never see the day that Esther's face would light up with a smile, let alone laugh and smile the way she does with you."

The Father saw Mad'am Leeore's joy slip away as she face became once more stricken with despair and sorrow for the girl that was no longer with them as the moment. "She is mostly methuselah, so she isn't trusted by the terran, and she has shown her dislike, and that's putting it mildly, to the RosenKreuz Orden. The Orden is always threatening her life; Esther is marked for death."

Forgetting her tears, the older woman kneeled before the traveling Vatican priest and took his hands in hers. "Please," she pleaded with desperation. "Take care of Esther Father Nightroad; if anyone can do it, it's you."

Abel swallowed the lump of food in his mouth and softly smiled at the woman before him. "I will do all I can mad'am. Esther does appear burdened by many things, and I will do everything in my power to remedy that."

The Mad'am Leeore kissed Abel's hand in joy. "Bless you Father; you have no idea how hard her life is."

And as Leeore's words died on the air, Esther charged through the front door; bell protesting loudly against the strong jarring it received. Sapphire orbs immediately sought out the ice blue eyes of Father Abel. "We have to go Father," she snapped as she strode to the table in long heated steps. Halting at the table, the teen wept up her cup of tea and raise it to her mouth, but not before pushing to pills into her mouth.

"Esther?" questioned Abel anxious by his companion's strange behavior.

The red and ebony haired young methuselah turned swiftly on the priest taking his now freed hand in her own. With a tug she went toward the back of the café, but not before the starving Father grabbed a bun for the go.

"We need to get your gun and get back to the church as quickly as possible," snarled Esther.

Abel had a feeling it wasn't him she was snarling at, and looked down at the hand that clutched his own with gentle strength feeling even more reassured. "Why?"

Esther halted outside the back door searching into the dark gloomy ally. "The Orden is back on my trail again, and I can't under any circumstances let you be seen," Esther answered as she looked about their escape rout, and then sprang into a fast walk into the ally across them. "I need to get you to the Empire in one peace, and undiscovered; the Empress ordered me to bring you should you waken."

"The Empress!?" gapped Abel his icy eyes wide with the mention of his sister Seth. "How is she!?"

Halting once more at an ally mouth the little redhead looked both ways before running across the vacant street, a frazzled priest still being dragged behind. Once across the street she finally answered Abel's worry filled question.

"The Empress is fine as far as I know; I'm worried about us right now." And Esther came to an abrupt stop outside the back of a store in the ally in which they stood.

Knocking calmly Esther stood back, her hand slowly loosening its grip on the priest's hand till it fell limp to her side. They didn't have to wait long till a lock was thrown back and the sound of creaking metal filled the air as the metal door they stood before opened. To Abel's surprise a young man poked his head out and gapped at the tall silver haired man's face to further gap at the girl by his side.

"Esther? What's wrong with the front door ha?" snapped the spiky haired young man, his green eyes gazing at the girl suspiciously.

Esther growled and glared, sapphire eyes flecked with ice. "They're on my trail again and I need a weapon replaced." She held out her hand to Abel while keeping her hard sapphire orbs on the man. "It would be well worth your while Alec. Abel please…"

The dark robed Father pouted, but drew his gun and placed it in his companion's hand. He watched as the craftsmen eyed the weapon with shocked eyes and a drooling mouth. "You have a Vatican Revolver!!" Alec nearly screeched. "Where in the bloody hell did you get that Es!!"

She raised a brow and blue eyes flickering to the priest at her side. "Where indeed?"

It was at this time that Alec took notice of the tall handsome man's attire, and the young craftsmen's mouth nearly fell to the ground. "A Vatican priest; Esther, you wanna die!!" Alec turned his shocked green eyes to the teen. "You're already marked and wanted by the Orden, having a Vatican priest attached to you is a death wish!!"

"Please continue talking about me as if I'm not here," commented Abel with an agitated drone in his voice. "How rude," he said a loud to himself.

Esther remained unfazed, reminding Abel vaguely of how Hugge would act.

"A replacement for the gun and ammunition would be nice Alec, along with the cash left over, and I'll be out of your hair for good."

Alec groaned but nodded taking the priest's weapon from the young lady. "Replacement revolver and shot coming up," and the young man once more disappeared inside.

Abel and Esther didn't have to wait long in the dreary ally for Alec, but when he did come, Abel's eyes went flew open with astonishment.

In Alec's hand was a relatively simple revolver, but bigger and completely black.

"The P5 .47mm Leopard Revolver; shoots a slightly bigger bullet then the old one. The elongated barrel gives it better range and firepower, giving it more kick then a normal revolver." Alec looked at Abel as he extended the weapon to him. "It's more gun then most men can handle. I thought you could handle a little more then the average male."

Turning to Esther as Father Nightroad drooled over his new weapon, the young guns master handed a black shoulder pack to the teen. "Here are the bullets; there should be plenty there and the crap loud of spare cash is in there as well."

"Thank you Alec," she said with a smile as she turned down the ally, Abel falling into step behind her. "Take care!"

"I should be telling you that," half yelled Alec as he watched the strange pair disappear into the shadow shrouded ally.

Esther looked to her companion who had stayed surprisingly quiet since leaving the gun seller. "Do you approve Father?"

Abel looked to the girl at his side and back to the weapon in his hand. He was never one to be terribly fond of weapons, but he had to admit, the gun he held was a masterpiece. "I actually do; I'm surprised that I'm not as upset about loosing my old gun. I had it for a long time." The silver haired priest raised the gun with one hand as if he was going to fire it, and smirked down at Esther. "Thank you Esther."

Averting her face and eyes at his appreciation, Abel vaguely saw the blush blossoming on the girl's face. He kept his silence knowing she wanted the act to go unnoticed by him, so they walked on in comfortable silence as they twisted their way through the allies. But after a time priest and methuselah teen came to a dimly lit street causing the guide to halt in her advance.

"What is it Esther," asked Abel his eyes narrowing in worry behind his round glasses.

Sapphire jewel narrowed as they stared blankly ahead. "They've cornered us," she snapped under her breath as if she was cursing. She looked to the priest at her side, a pleading expression in her eyes. "Do you trust me Father?"

Abel was taken back, but not out of uncertainty, but surprise. This girl was asking for his trust, when she had clearly given hers. With a soft smile overcoming his surprise he nodded.

"Of course Esther, would I have come this far if I had not?"

This earned the old Vatican operative a full genuine smile as the young woman lifted her hand palm up to him. "Then take my hand and don't let go."

Abel, without hesitation took the offered hand. "Why-"

But his question was droned out by a sudden whoosh of wind as everything became a blur to the priest's eyes. The Father looked to Esther and saw her whole concentration was on the path before her. It came to him then; the young woman before him was using "haste" to get back to the church, and evade their pursuers.

It was still shocking the silver haired Abel to see Sister Esther's face on another young lady's face. And this girl was mostly methuselah, which was something that would take some getting used to.

Sighing and tightening his grip, Abel grinned. _"But they both have a purity no one can match; no matter how burdened."_

A/N: yea, another chapter done, and I hope u guys like it. I worked hard on it and nearly was late for work trying to finish typing it and updating it. Good thing works like a total of 5 minutes away XD any way, now that schools is many over, high school anyway; college class more me starts the 9th, some summer vacation that is, I'll be updating more, I hope. so yea…

BLAZE out ;D

Please don't forget to review; I live off of reviews!


	5. Mark of Sin

Disclaimer: I own zilch!

**Last Time:**

"Do you trust me Father?"

Abel was taken back, but not out of uncertainty, but surprise. This girl was asking for his trust, when she had clearly given hers. With a soft smile overcoming his surprise he nodded.

"Of course Esther, would I have come this far if I hadn't?"

This earned the old Vatican operative a full genuine smile as the young woman lifted her hand palm up to him. "Then take my hand and don't let go."

Without hesitation Abel took the offered hand. "Why-"

But his question was droned out by a sudden whoosh of wind as everything became a blur to the priest's eyes. The Father looked to Esther and saw her whole concentration was on the path before her. It came to him then; the young woman before him was using "haste" to get back to the church, and evade their pursuers.

It was still shocking the silver haired Abel to see Sister Esther's face on another young lady's face. And this girl was mostly methuselah, which was something that would take some getting used to.

Sighing and tightening his grip, Abel grinned. _"But they both have a purity no one can match; no matter how burdened."_

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter V- Mark of Sin**

Abel looked up at the church he had taken as his makeshift dwelling. He followed the tense teen through the run down city of Londinium, to enter eerily silent and broken building once more. Staring at the redhead's back, he understood Esther's tension, but it seemed to the traveling priest that there was something more behind it; something she wasn't telling.

Striding through the candle lit church the Vatican priest stopped and watched as the young redhead sauntered to the piano and played away; movements stiff, and not near as fluent as prior. Was she trying to dodge him? Or was she just tense from the possibility of attack?

"Esther," Abel called out talking a step forward; she still played away more rigid, as her anxiousness road on the stale church air. "Esther, look at me and tell me what Madam Leeore and Alec meant when you were marked? What did you do to have the Orden tracking you?"

The pale nimble fingers halted upon the ebony and ivory keys, letting an uncanny discord vibrate the flaking stone walls. The discord of the instrument slowly perished as the young woman reached up and gripped her left shoulder. With nerve racking slowness Esther pushed aside both black tank top and sweater to reveal a very dark tattoo that lurked beneath.

Abel immediately recognized it with horror in his eyes. "That's…"

"Yes," answered Esther as she returned the clothing to its original position and swirled on the bench to face the AX officer. Lurking in her azure eyes was sadness but her face was set in an expressionless façade. "I was tattooed with the Orden's mark telling others that I was a criminal. Killing their members infuriated them, but I'm surprised they didn't kill me in return. Instead of tracking down and capturing me as they are." The young red and ebony haired girl gave the priest a small sad smile as her words sunk in.

"Esther," murmured Abel both horror struck and troubled by the news. "Why though? Why Esther, did you bring it upon yourself to slay those that didn't do you direct harm?"

Sapphire orbs shot up with an animalistic viciousness. "Don't," she purred malevolently. "Don't you dare lecture me on not killing those that didn't do me direct harm, because they did. They slew the only family I had! RosenKreuz will have a taste of their own medicine!"

Abel stiffened at Esther's fire filled words, but soon felt his shoulders slouch in slight disappointment. "Vendetta, then?"

The teen sat straight upon the piano bench…shameless. "Yes, vendetta, but not all of it; someone must fight the wrong that was done to us all."

The traveling priest bowed his head silently asking God why children had to arm themselves to with weapons to kill. This situation reminded the old priest too much of Sister Esther Blanchett and her quest to save her city. Like then, this Esther was trying to save her city, and took it in her own hands to do it.

The creaking of the piano bench broke Abel from his silent muses, and he raised his head to see what Esther was doing. To his surprise the young woman was walking hesitantly to him. When finally standing in front of him, staring into his glacial eyes behind round glasses, she spoke with a solemn chime.

"I understand if you don't want to be around me, or have anything to do with a sinner like me, but I still need to get you to the Empire. So if you can tolerate me till then, I'd much appreciate it."

A wide eyed Abel stared down at three-fourths methuselah teen with a dumbstruck expression. However, the shock gave way and replacing it was Father Abel Nightroad's heart fluttering, genuine smile. "I may not approve of what you've done Miss Esther, but I've had my own far share of sins; so who am I to judge?"

The young woman like child gazed open mouthed at the traveling bumbling priest, but soon felt her own smile growing to meet Abel's. "Thank you Father, now please get some rest. We will be leaving tomorrow morning hopefully," and Esther shoved the Father toward the door off the side of the chapel.

"Good night Father Nightroad," she giggled watching him go.

He grinned back waving. "Good night Esther! Sweet dreams; don't let the bed bugs bit!"

Another onslaught of girlish giggles came from the teen as she watched the silver haired man vanished behind the door. The instant the click of the handle echoed in the empty chapel, the heavenly mirth of Esther's laughter died abruptly. Turning on her booted heel, Esther briskly strode toward a door that lay hidden in the shadows at the back corner of the pulpit; the moth eaten tapestries half hiding it. Pulling wide the oil hinged door, the solemn teen vanished into the dark depths of the unlit space. Immerging soon from the bottomless black room, with a crossbow in one hand, a quiver of arrows over one shoulder, and in Esther's other hand a black pistol was clutched in a death grip.

Now armed, Esther sat herself on the unused coffin at the center of the pulpit. Cerulean spheres monitored the church's door as the owner of those sapphire spheres stood guard through the night.

**- - -**

They came swiftly; far swifter then Esther had ever anticipated that they come. She had hoped whatever had kept them at bay before would help her now.

Snapping her cobalt eyes open the redhead narrowed them. The barrier or whatever it was, was down. Meaning it was in fact Abel and Cain that had kept the Orden away, and not the fact that she struggled to hide herself so well. With it gone they were free to attack. Nonetheless, Esther glared daggers at the door she faced; why did they have to come with so many?

The church doors flew open and treading through the holy threshold was a group of sneering young men of methuselah heritage. Their numbers added up to nine; the blue eyed teen could have handled three at the most; maybe, but nine…

"A bit of overkill for little ol' me," smirked Esther struggling to keep her face confident. She didn't need them knowing she couldn't fight and win. _"Why now?…Abel…"_ she thought mournfully.

The leader of the gang stepped forward. "True, but fairness is never amusing for us; you know how it goes."

Esther narrowed her eyes to slits. "Of that I do." And as her words died on the air, the quarter terran girl fired off two arrows from her automatic crossbow. Both bolts hit true; two members at the leader's left and right dropped to the floor. Perturbing from their chests were silver arrows, tipped with holy water.

"Two down, seven to go," mocked the teen.

The dark blonde leader growled, his fangs barred at the red and ebony haired child. "We thought to bring you in quietly as the Master wished, but you are proving to be more of a nuisance then he anticipated."

The mere mention of Cain drove shivers of dread through Esther. A cold nervous sweat broke out on her brow, as the girl's body shook in violent shivers. Sapphire eyes were blank in shock, starring forward but saw nothing as the pale rosy lips whispered one name.

"Cain Knightlord…"

The group of still standing RosenKreus members hissed in contempt.

"You dare utter his name, YOU PATHETIC CROSS-BREED FILTH!!" roared out the leading methuselah, and using _"haste"_ charged a still stock still Esther.

Before reaching her however, Esther returned to her senses, and to the task at hand. But even with her own superior reflexes and strength, she was still too slow to dodge the attack fully. The redheaded teen had sprung to the side toward the floor, but claws still dug into the flesh at her shoulder. A cry of pain burst from her lips, to soon be snuffed out and be replaced by Esther's ire filled snarl. Returning to her booted feet, Esther placed more space between her and her attacker as she ignored the flow of blood down her arm.

"You're quicker then I expected for an abomination," sneered the blonde vampire, fangs gleaming eerily in the moonlight that came through the broken stained-glass windows. He strode through the garden of flowering roses and Forget Me Nots, crushing them beneath his booted feet. "But still you will die here if you don't come quietly. The Master isn't a very patient creature."

It was Esther's turn to bar her fangs in a growl. "Cain can go to Hell! Which I'm sure is where he's going!"

The blonde R.K.O member hissed, and the methuselah at Esther's back stepped forward. Glancing over her shoulder at them, the young woman instantly regretted her mistake. The moment her attention was drawn elsewhere, her opponent took advantage of it.

Clawed fingers encircled her throat before she knew it, and the cold stone flooring of the church fell away from her feet as she was lifted. The leader of the little vampire pack held the redhead at eye level, a smirk on his pale cruelly attractive face. There was amusement in his rigid brown eyes, amusement directed at Esther's weak attempts at freeing herself.

"Not so hot now, are you kid," mocked the vampire as he squeezed slightly and enjoyed the young girl's gasp for air and from pain. "Ready to cooperate…Esther?"

Esther glared through pain squinted eyes.

The Orden member gave a fangy grin. "I'll take that has a no." And the hand gripping Esther's neck tightened considerably, cutting off air and forcing a silent scream from her lips.

Esther saw darkness blurring the edges of her vision, but she fought it. She fought back with grabbing a silver blade from her boot, to stab it in her capture's arm.

His cry of pain filled the hollow church as Esther's vision slowly darkened as her lids began to fall on their own accord. All she heard was the blood in her ears pounding away; the wheezy sound she made when she struggled to take in air into her lungs. No, she never heard anything else; someone could call her name right then and she wouldn't have noticed.

"Esther!" broke through a cry of shock and rage. The cry was soon followed by a resounding gunshot.

The half strangled teen barely recollected hitting the stone floor, or the cries that followed; she was borderline unconscious. Darkness lurked all around her and there was no escaping it, it was just a matter of time of giving in.

"What the hell!?" cried the vampire that had been strangling the young mixed breed teen, as he gripped his bloody stub that had once been his arm. His cold brown eyes turned to where the bullet had come from, to find none other then a narrow eyed, black garbed priest, with silver hair and blue eyes the color of arctic ice.

The lower members of the Orden gapped in shock, all of them whispering and hissing out "…A Vatican dog…"

Abel narrowed his icy eyes further behind his round glasses, new gun steady in his hand. "My name is Father Abel Nightroad, traveling priest for the Vatican. Please step away from the girl before this turns into something I'd rather avoid."

Coming back from the land of unconsciousness, Esther heard Abel's warning in his steeling voice. "No Father," she whimpered with as much strength as she could muster. "Run Abel," she crocked out the still struggling to speak, still unable to move as well.

The methuselah standing over the red haired teen still holding his arm sneered. "Listen to your little filthy friend priest; run, you'll need the head start…Abel."

The glacial eyed male glared, but remained where he was, standing with his gun pointed at the vampire's forehead.

The handsome yet cruel young man grinned as he kneeled by the nearly unconscious Esther. "If you choose not to leave it's your funeral. But first…" Once more the RosenKreus member picked the petite teen up by the neck and lifted her into the air. "You'll watch this pathetic abomination strangle to death."

Abel saw and instantly grew panicky, so he charged thoughtlessly. "Esther!!"

"Kill him!!" order the preoccupied leader as he strangled the young girl further.

The others who had been standing by rushed at Abel with their inhuman speed, but falling short of _"haste"_. The priest predictable this and took aim, firing and killing two vampires before they could reach him. Yet that wasn't enough to cause the rest to hesitate. So the tall silver haired terran priest continued to fire off his new firearm, but soon it came to fists and kicks as the methuselah came into range for hand to hand combat.

Abel held his own against the superior creatures. But wasn't Abel superior himself? So the Vatican operative fought on. Gloved hands punching and medal guarded feet kicking as the black robed priest's garments bellowed about him, like ebony wings flowing around him. The mane of silver tresses a shinning banner of heavenly light rippling about his handsome pale face.

Those were the only things Esther could make out as she fought for breath. She saw Abel Nightroad, the famous clumsy priest fighting and killing his attackers with a haste to saver her. She didn't need saving though, not yet anyway; she silently hoped she never would.

With shaky numb fingers, the captured teen reached toward to left boot top while her captures attention was drawn to the battling priest. Esther pulled from her hiding place, a single shot pocket pistol and aimed it at the blonde's skull. He felt it at his temple and turned to find the barrel staring him in the face.

He grinned. "And what are you gonna do with that pathetic thing wench?"

"Kill you," wheezed out Esther, and she pulled the trigger just as she was flung aside like a discarded rag doll.

Abel halted in what he was doing by the sound of an unknown gunshot resounding off the failing stone walls of the holy house. Wide icy eyes whipped around toward the sound as the weight of failure and dread bore down on the old priest's shoulders. What he found he didn't expect.

Esther was no longer in the Orden member's clutches, but smashed against the far stone wall. Her imprint in the grey stone showed just how much force she had been flung aside with. She collapsed to the ground in a unconscious nearly broken heap. Abel grew more then furious as his eyes turned to the offending methuselah. The priest barely noticed at how a chunk of the punk leader's face was blown off by the power of the pocket gun, now discarded on the ground by Esther's unmoving feet.

"You'll pay dearly for that," snarled Abel as he reached up to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

The disfigured vampire grinned devilishly, dark eyes glittering with malice. "Is that so priest? If you think a mere terran can defeat me, then please do try."

"Terran?" murmured the tall male, hand still before his serious and stone like face. "Do you really think a mere terran could defeat your comrades with the ease I did?"

It took the methuselah time to notice the dead bullet mangled corpses of his fellow Rosen Kreus members. The blonde looked up at Abel with shock; unrefined and full out horrified shock with uncertainty in his coffee colored eyes.

"Nanomachine Crusnick 02 loading. Limitation at 40 percent…acknowledged."

An icy electric wind built up in the ramshackle building that had once been gloriously called a church, to whip about any loose objects. Leaves and pedals filled the holy chapel and the methuselah raised his only arm to block the debris. As soon as the winds gusts had picked up they died, and the brown eyed methuselah looked to find not the Vatican lapdog, but something completely different.

Standing strong and sure was a creature the blonde had never laid eyes upon. Skin darkly pale with lips a deep amethyst hue. The once tied back silver tresses were now rising above the creature's head in a twisted array of a silver halo. Gracefully spread from his back was a pair of ebony feathered wings, so dark there seemed no end to their blackness. But it wasn't these features that caused the methuselah to quake in horror where he stood. It was the being's eyes; the once arctic azure irises were now a radiant bloody crimson; a blood lusting color that drove shiver of dread and terror down the lesser creature's spine.

"W-What are you!?" cried the vampire, eyes wide with fear as he stepped back, only to have the mysterious beast mimic his every step. "You're once of us aren't you?! You're methuselah!"

The dark creature let a smile spread across his dark angelic face, showing off a pair of long ivory fangs. "Consider this. If humans feed on cows and birds, and vampires drink the blood of those humans, does it not follow that something may feed on your blood?"

A cold sweat broke out on the young man's brow as the dark creature came toward him faster then he could move away. The sincerity of the situation became terribly real as he stared unwillingly into those bloody eyes that were certain death.

"The Master…is a…you're a-"

"Yes," smiled Abel flashing his deadly fangs anew. "I am a Crusnick, just like your precious Master Cain."

And the number two Crusnick sank his fangs into his prey's neck, all the while summoning the already clotting blood on the stone floor.

"_Waste not, want not,"_ thought Abel, and he did needed it to truly regain his strength after his awakening.

Finishing his meal, the dark Crusnick heard a soft groan in his keen ears. Rising his glowing crimson eyes, the transformed priest l saw the unconscious heap that was Esther. She was barely conscious; he heard it in her breathing and her heartbeat. If she saw him as he was now, Abel knew for a fact she wouldn't remember. So braving it, the Crusnick walked briskly to the fallen young woman's side, and turned her onto her back. The silver haired creature saw lids delicately flutter open, to barely reveal the gazing sapphire beneath.

"It's alright Esther," Abel softly whispered the best to his ability with his raspy Crusnick voice. "I've got you now… you're safe" And picking the redhead up bridle style, the AX officer, Codenamed Crusnick, made his way to the single bed in the dreary church. It was Abel Nightroad's turn to take care of the troubled girl, as she had done for him.

Looking down at his charge, Abel found the sky blue eyes staring at him with a look he couldn't decipher. Dread filled his breast as the memory of Sister Esther's withdrawal from him after seeing him as he truly was. But before worry could really take hold of the tall male, the long dark lashes fell as unconsciousness came up to claim the little three-fourths methuselah girl.

"Sleep well Esther," he murmured in her ear as he laid her upon her run down bed, and sat himself down in the armchair as a terran to wait out the night to watch his charge. "And let's hope my sins don't give you nightmares."

A/N: yea another chapter done, hope u guys like it, kinda short, but not terribly so. Sry it took me longer to update then I hoped because my stupid internet was being a pain in the ass. Hope this chapter makes up for the wait! Now remember to review! I know this story is a bit weird but yea, it gets cooler later on I think.

Sayonara,

BLAZE


	6. A Pill of False

Disclaimer: I decline all ownership over Trinity Blood and co…cuz it was never mine to begin with

**YO INUED! U WANTED ANOTHER CHAPTER, HERE U GO!!** XD

**Last Time:**

Looking down at his charge, Abel found the sky blue eyes staring at him with a look he couldn't decipher. Dread filled his breast as the memory of Sister Esther's withdrawal from him after seeing him as he truly was. But before worry could really take hold of the tall male, the long dark lashes fell as unconsciousness came up to claim the little three-fourths methuselah girl.

"Sleep well Esther," he murmured in her ear as he laid her upon her run down bed, and sat himself down in the armchair as a terran to wait out the night to watch his charge. "And let's hope my sins don't give you nightmares."

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter VI- A Pill of False**

Abel watched Esther through the night with surprising vigor being that he too was still healing. Hoping and praying through the night that the obvious concussion did not take the little angel's life. The priest begged the heavens not to take his new found friend.

Come morning and seeing the red and ebony haired Esther still breathing deeply in her sleep, Abel saw fit it was time to make breakfast. Rising from the armchair, Abel made his way to the church's kitchen. Upon searching, nothing was found but porridge and bread. So the Father set to work, leaving Esther to her rest.

However, Esther's rest was far from restful. The sound of wings flapping like so many nights before filled her dreams making her sleep restless. The wings were louder though, closer then ever before; no longer in the far distances of her mind. She knew the wings to be black, and they blended with the nothingness she stood so isolated, and alone in. In that bottomless oblivion Esther was assaulted with quick flashes of crimson eyes and razor sharp fangs, accompanied by horrific screams of anguish.

The once slumbering teen awoke with a terrified cry as she bolted up from her bed. Her sudden action of starting awake, forced Esther to fall from her bed to the floor with a loud echoing thump. Still her horrified cries and gasps for breath continued without pause. All her azure eyes saw were the burning eyes of a demon and pearly canines of a raging animal as the cries of the enemies continued. So absorbed in her hellish dream, the young methuselah teen never noticed her bedroom door slam open, to be filled with an armed priest's presence.

Esther still didn't notice Abel kneel before her as the night before crashed down on her; her cries came anew.

"Esther!? Damnit Esther, snap out of it!!" cried an anxious and worried Abel as he finally resorted to shaking the teen.

Only then did the darkened veil of her dreams recede, to leave Esther seeing the worried face of Abel Nightroad. "…Father…" she whispered brokenly. "Father Nightroad…what you…wait, the enemy!?"

"Shh," cooed Abel as he drew the edgy girl into a comforting embrace. "They're gone, I took care of the enemy; you're safe now."

Esther nodded still a little shaken up, but she knew the Father was well and able to take care of himself; he wouldn't be legendary if he wasn't able. Lifting her eyes to look into his smiling face, all the teen succeeded in was getting an eye full of his pale slim throat. Her body grew rigid and strung tight as immediate temptation struck, and Esther berried it as quick as possible. Yet, still knowing her will power alone wasn't enough, she flung herself from Father Abel and into the bathroom attached to her bedroom.

Abel of course sat on the floor in shocked amazement as he stared after the girl. He had felt her tense, but thought little of it. Maybe she didn't like being comforted in such a manner? Abel doubted it as he rouse to his feet and strode to the open washroom's door.

The sound of running water filled the medium sized room. The dim yellow lighting from the lone aged light bulb cast an eerie glow upon the hunched over girl before the sink. Her hair glowing like a flame as the light's yellow beams bounced off exposed shoulders. But even that didn't catch the legendary priest's attention as much as the spilt pill bottle, spewing crimson tablets across the ivory marble countertop.

Abel gave a soft gasp of shock. He knew those tablets; he knew them well, for all the methuselah he knew took them. Yet he wasn't sure if he should step forward or back. A blood craving methuselah was a deadly thing, especially if you had no intention of killing it whether attacked or not.

So the hesitant Vatican priest settled with calling out her name.

"Esther…?"

The teen hunched over the white marble sink straightened and sluggishly toward the door. Esther's face was worn and weary, and even pale in the yellow lit room. Course the paleness could just have been the lighting itself. Yet the dark circles under he sapphire eyes were unmistakable, and it was greatly contrasted by the red glow resting in the cobalt pools.

"Esther…" he murmured again nervous and hesitant.

The girl sighed as she slouched against the wall only to slide to the dark tiled floor. Abel was there in an instant, calling her name anxiously.

Esther tiredly grinned as she leaned her head back against the flaking plaster wall. "I'm fine now Father," she weakly whispered, eyes shut as she raised a full glass of water. "I took the piles and now I'll be fine till noon or so."

Abel was skeptical on the fine part. "That may be true, but you still look half dead."

The crimson haired teen snorted at the irony of the comment. "Once the pills kick in I'll be fine; just be careful around me till then, kay?"

The priest knew very well why he needed to stay away, but he had never seen a thirst this strong unless induced.

"But the thirst-"

"Is stronger," finished Esther opening her eyes to stare into Abel's face and give a soft encouraging smile. "I'm not a full methuselah, but have the thirst of one, so it's stronger for me with my cross breed body. Harder to control and harder to quench, and with a terribly consequence if I ignore the thirst for too long." Esther's let her eyes trail to the pale long neck Abel's head rested on, and saw him tense from the instance look. "Just for these times Father Nightroad, stay away. I don't think you want bit marks anywhere…unless you want them?"

Abel gave a goofy grin as his eyes became slits while a blush blossomed on his face. "No, that's quite alright, I think I'll pass," spoke the nervous priest as he scratched the back of his neck.

The red and ebony haired teen let a chuckle rattle her chest as she rouse to her feet, using the wall for support all the while. Risking a step forward, Esther only found herself stumbling over her sluggish leaded feet. To her surprise though, it was Father Abel who had caught her by wrapping an arm around her waist. The young woman threw the silver haired priest a shining smile.

"You seem out of sorts Esther, are you sure you're alright," Abel asked granting his companion his support to get to the arm chair.

She nodded as she sat down with a sigh. "The pills are specially made for me. They're stronger, so when I take them I feel like I'm drunk or on drugs; something like that anyway."

The tall priest nodded understanding, but still worried as he stared down at the girl in the moth eaten chair. "I made porridge for breakfast, want some?"

"That would be great, thank you Father Nightroad," and Esther smiled brightly up at her clergy companion before letting her head fall back. "Once done with breakfast I'll get tickets for a ship to fly us across the ocean."

"No cruise ship?" joked Abel at the bedroom door.

Esther snorted again as she shut her jeweled eyes. "If I remember correctly…her Ladyship Queen Esther told me of her experiences with a seasick priest. It just couldn't have been you Father Nightroad, must have been the Professor."

Lifting a single lid, Esther was able to catch the light pink glow on Abel Nightroad's cheeks. She laughed in the confines of her mind. The clumsy hapless priest was a joy to be around, just like the Queen Esther the First said he would be.

"Yes…well…not memories I'm terribly fond of I'm afraid," nervously exclaimed the silver haired Father. "I'll just go get the breakfast." Abel was out the door and down the hall in a flash, Esther holding her laughter back as much as she could as he went. But once she heard the kitchen door close, her sweet laughter filled not only her room, but the whole church as well.

- - -

Once breakfast was devoured by priest and methuselah, Esther departed the church for the dying city of Londinium to bay their tickets. Abel had offered to go with her, but she quickly declined with the fact that keeping him out of sight as much as possible would be wiser. He complained and protested with a pouting face, but still the little redhead stood firm. The traveling priest could see her reasoning, he really could, but that didn't keep him from worrying about the teen while out of his sight. She was like Sister Esther in the fact that she attracted trouble. But this new Esther was more apt to cause trouble because of her rebellious character. It worried the blue eyed Abel to leave his new friend alone and unguarded.

But she was alone; out in the city her family used to rule, and now hunted by the enemy for crimes done. And Father Abel Nightroad was left in the drearier decaying church alone with his coffin. It was indeed strange to be left alone in the silent house of faith he had his funeral in. If Caterina hadn't thought fast about Lilith's blood, Abel Nightroad would certainly be dead, but so would the Crusnick 02, was that so bad?

So the blue eyed, silver haired priest spent the day staring down at his casket twiddling a rose and a Forget Me Not between his gloved and nimble fingers. His mind deep in thought he never noticed midday turn into the afternoon, then afternoon fade into evening. Abel never noticed how time flew till the creaking of the doors shook him from his reprieve.

Pivoting around to face the doors, Abel withdrew his Leopard Revolver, aiming it at the intruder.

"Don't shoot Father," squeaked a dramatized Esther as she threw her hands over her head and face.

"May the Lord have mercy," whispered Abel under his breath in shock as he returned his weapon to its place while running up to the still quivering teen. "I am so sorry Esther! I didn't notice you presence, so when u opened the doors you startled me! Still that's no reason for aiming a gun at you; I can't believe it did that!"

The ruby and onyx haired teen blinked at the older man through the spread fingers of her hands that she had used to hide her face. Letting them fall, Esther gave out a sweet sound of nervous laughter.

"It's alright, we have our reasons for being on edge," explained the ¾ methuselah girl as she strolled down the church's aisle. "And I won't be any less edgy till I'm off this blasted island."

Heaving a sigh Esther sat herself on the top of the alter stairs, the abandoned coffin at her back. Reaching out she picked up the rose and little blue flowers Abel had dropped to grab his gun. She looked up with a crimson brow raised.

"Trip down memory lane?"

Abel gave a soft smile that held a hint of sadness. "Yes; I suppose so."

"Was it a happy trip," Esther softly inquired as she twirling the rose in her fingers oblivious to the thorns that pricked her.

"Indeed it was; mostly anyway," answered the Vatican operative.

The teen smiled cheerfully up at the Father. "That's good; don't want a blue Father Nightroad now do we?"

Abel laughter as his silver mane flowed about him as he sat himself next to the teen atop the stairs. "Did you get the tickets without any trouble?"

Esther nodded as she reached for the black single strap shoulder pack Alec had giver her and pulled out two white lengthy tickets. "Here we are! I only had to do some dodging around the members I saw, other then that it was fine and I went unseen. I got two tickets to the nearest city we can land in." A blush slowly crept up the young woman's face as a nervous giggle tickled her throat. "There's a slight problem though?"

"And that is…"

Esther gulped before speaking, the blush deepening as she dodged eye contact with the priest at her side. "There's only one bed in our room."

Abel sighed hiding his own burning cheeks behind his silver bangs. _"Could be worse,"_ he thought to himself. "That's alright, we'll figure something out. What time do we leave?"

Esther looked at the tickets to confirm. "9:15 pm is loading time; departure is scheduled for 9:30 pm." The red and black haired Esther looked out the shattered stain glass windows to gaze at the position of the sun. "That gives me an hour forty-five to get together all I need; perfect!" And the slightly more animated Esther bustled off to her bedroom.

Once more Abel was left alone. Leaning back while bracing himself on his white gloved hands, Abel stared up at the peeked ceiling, letting out a soft and slow sigh. Things had certainly had changed and Abel had hardly been anywhere. What worried him the most was the possibility of everyone close to him being dead. Was Austa and Ion still alive? He knew Seth was from what Esther had said. And there was the AX members, they were of course were dead, but what about the AX itself?

So engrossed in his thoughts the blue eyed priest didn't notice the time go by so quickly. Still staring up at the collapsing roof Abel never noticed the side door open, or the sound of heels on cold stone. No, he didn't notice anything till his name was called from in front of him.

"Father Nightroad? You keep spacing out like this and you'll end up an easy target. Faaatheeer? Anyone home?" droned Esther as she waved an ivory gloved hand before the day dreaming priest's face. The movement of her hand caused the Father to finally pay attention to his surroundings and inquiring companion.

Turning his arctic gaze to look at Esther, he instead was flung back into the past at the mere image of her. Abel was suddenly overwhelmed with the memory of when he first saw Sister Esther in her new habit for the Vatican as an AX member. Pure white with sky blue accents; the skirt just falling past her knees ending in lace, the Vatican insignia medal strapped on her left arm, the whole habit decorated with small medal spears to glisten in the light. While boots and leggings hugged the perfectly shaped legs of the young Sister; the beaded rosary swinging and sparkling in the sun as she walked. The cross and blades of the rosary seeming odd on her at first, but soon became a part of her like everything else.

It was her hair and eyes though, that showed the most. The beautiful bright ruby hair resting against the white of the veil she wore atop her head contrasted boldly. Her innocent sapphire eyes sparkling with life, love and loyalty to those close to her; she was an angel descended to guide him. And now here she stood; heart beating, softly breathing.

"…Esther…"

Esther frowned at the tone in Abel's voice. She knew that tone; that tone meant he was remembering **his **Esther, Sister Esther Blanchett. The ¾ methuselah teen felt her heart twinge in hurt as well as in envy. What hurt more; being compared to someone long dead, or hearing that affectionate longing in Abel's voice knowing it wasn't for her? Esther had to say it was a toss up, both hurt more then she cared to admit. So forcing down her emotions, she looked down at herself so he didn't see her pain filled eyes.

"If the habit bothers you, I can take it off Father Nightroad," she said softly as she picked at the white cloth of her skirt. "It seemed appropriate, but I have other things to change into to."

The brunt of Esther's words finally sunk into Abel's brain as he blinked and shook his head to reed it of the haunting images of a long dead nun. "No…no, that's quite alright; I don't mind," he said softly, almost too softly to Esther's standards.

"You sure?"

Abel nodded his silver crowned head as he stood to tower over the young teenager. "I'm sure; ready to head out then?"

She couldn't help but feel like Abel Nightroad was dodging her questions and worries. Esther raised a brow in question, but received only that bright goofy grin that was accompanied by squinted eyes. Sighing aloud she nodded taking her suitcase in hand as well as her duffel, which was weighed down with by the bag's condense, leaving Father Abel to carry his own lighter suitcase.

"Let's go Father," Esther said as she walked to the church's doors.

Together they strode from the ancient church that had brought them together without ever glancing back once.

- - -

The walk to the airfield was neither long nor difficult. It was an easy walk, unhindered by large crowds and not one Rosen Kreuz member was seen; it was perfect for the Vatican pair. However, where the walk would have been filled with chatter, meaningless or not, the chatter was nonexistent. Neither Esther nor Abel spoke; one stuck on another trip down memory lane, the other silently brooding.

The odd pair made it to the airfield with ten minutes to spare before take off.

"Ticket's please," asked a middle aged man wearing a uniform for the ship.

Esther handed the tickets to the man with a pleasant smile, though refraining from showing her teeth.

"Thank you, and welcome to the Tristan," the ticket boy said cheerfully and gestured to the loading ramp.

Abel hearing the name gapped up at the ship; the very familiar airship. "Did he say this ship's name was Tristan?" inquired the towering Father as he put his luggage with the rest.

The nun dressed methuselah looked to her companion perplexed by his shock. "Yea why; you don't know this ship do you?"

"I do," Abel answered. "A Rosen Kreuz member high jacked it planning to drop it on the Vatican if some of his comrades weren't released. He killed all the pilots, but luckily there was a young lady by the name of Jessica that was training to be a pilot. I was able to kill the vampire, and Jessica was able to land the ship safely, but unfortunately we were the only survivors…"

Esther pushed open their room's door somberly. "I'm sorry; Her Majesty never said anything," she whispered entering the unlit room.

Abel snapped on the light, illuminating the nice sized **single** bedroom. "She wouldn't have; she never knew." The surprised look on the azure eyed teen's face brought a smile to the old priest's face. "It was before I met Sister Esther, but not much before."

Esther nodded as she looked about the room; spelunking for things Abel assumed. After a few minutes of this the silver haired Father coughed into his large hand to get his companion's attention. In reaction to it, Esther's head shot up from the other side of the bed where she seemed to be looking under.

"Please tell me Esther, what in the world are you doing?"

Once the question was asked, the girl looked back under the single king sized bed. "I'm looking for places to hide our weapons," came her muffled reply. "I always do this when in a new place; always on your guard, weapons scattered around, hidden but easily assessable."

"Why though," Abel asked sitting in a fluffy chair watching the nun garbed ¾ methuselah girl rummage. "Is there a reason? I mean I sleep with a gun or blade under my pillow, but more!? That seems a bit extreme, even for me?"

The red haired, onyx banged young woman turned her sapphire orbs on the sitting Father. "I have my reasons, none pretty and none I want to repeat."

Abel Nightroad nodded knowing the conversation would go no further. Sighing, the priest heard a soft polite and professional knock on the room door. It was obviously room service delivering their bags. Pulling wide the door, Abel saw a luggage boy standing there with their bags in his hands. He looked to be early twenties, with a slight pale complexion, green eyes, and dark wavy hair reaching his shoulder. On his face was a dashing grin any woman would swoon at.

"Thank you," cheerfully expressed Abel smiling as well to hide the unease that he felt about the young man as he stepped aside. "Do you need a tip young man?"

"You're welcome," he answered; his voice low and flowing. "And no tip please; this is my job." With that said he proceeded into the room laying all three bags on the bed. "Welcome to the Tristan; hope you enjoy your stay," then he was gone.

Abel stared down at the bags, finding the duffel weighing way more then it normally should have. The sheer image of her kneeling on the floor in a habit was by far one of the most amusing things he had ever seen. Still Abel couldn't help but admire the perfectly formed rear pointed up at him, but he soon mentally cursed himself for his boldness and coughed again.

Esther's head shot up again and looked up at Abel to see the duffel he shook in his hands at her. "Oh," she exclaimed taking to her feet and grabbing the bag from him to place it on the bed; bed springs bouncing from the weight. Flipping open the duffel, the young teen admired her large assembly of weaponry.

"Esther, are all these weapons seriously necessary? We aren't going into battle," Abel asked at the disguised Esther's shoulder. How the weapons had gotten past security Abel didn't want to know, but upon further observation he found the Vatican's symbol on the bag, enough said.

Esther looked over her shoulder at her clergy friend with a ruby brow raised in inquiry. The look in her cerulean orbs given to the priest spoke volumes to him.

"Are we going into battle?" whimpered out the man, gulping loudly arctic blue eyes wide in worry.

The redhead sighed pulling a cut off barrel shotgun from the bag. "We aren't as far as I know, but that doesn't mean we won't be. I've learned over time that being prepared is the best sort of protection you can get."

Father Abel nodded and in silence they hid weapons about their room. Once done the silence was disrupted by a gurgling noise. Two set's of blue eyes turned to stare at a certain priest's growling stomach. Abel looked to Esther with an embarrassed grin on his face as he held his torso in agony. The teen's sweet laughter filled the room as her once sad sapphire pools gleamed in mirth.

"Father Nightroad, why don't you go to the dining room and get yourself something to eat. I know how you get when you don't get anything to eat."

Abel beamed with life at the mention of food; Esther swore she saw the stars in his eyes, but said stars quickly died as he looked at her questionably. "Aren't you coming too?"

Esther chuckled lightly. "I am, but I have some things I need to finish up first; you go on ahead."

The ancient priest's smile split is face as he walked carefree from the room, waving and saying a "don't be too long," before shutting the door softly behind him. Esther watched him go, a soft innocent smile on her face. Shaking her head to reed of thoughts of the handsome priest grabbed her suitcase. Opening it, she picked up a pair of scissors from the depths; Esther peered into the suitcase, thoughtful expression on her face.

"Not much left to do looks like; just some touch ups," she said a loud to herself. Pulling her project from her trunk she laid it out on the bed to admire it. "Let's hop to it and get this done!"

A/N: there we are, another chapter done and up. Yo InuEd u happy now, cuz u better be (smirks) things I do for my readers. I know it's not exactly an interesting chapter, but it doesn't really pick up any till another chapter or so. But hope it was worth the wait anyway.

over and out XD

BLAZE

**PLEASE REVIEW!! PUSH THE PURPLE BUTTON, IT AIN'T THAT HARD!! ;P**


	7. Deception of the Eyes and Ears

Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood or Abel Nightroad, though I'm sure I'm not the only one that would love to own him XD

**Last Time:**

"Aren't you coming too?"

Esther chuckled lightly. "I am, but I have some things I need to finish up first; you go on ahead."

The ancient priest's smile split is face as he walked carefree from the room, waving and saying a "don't be too long," before shutting the door softly behind him. Esther watched him go, a soft innocent smile on her face. Shaking her head to reed of thoughts of the handsome priest grabbed her suitcase. Opening it, she picked up a pair of scissors from the depths; Esther peered into the suitcase, thoughtful expression on her face.

"Not much left to do looks like; just some touch ups," she said a loud to herself. Pulling her project from her trunk she laid it out on the bed to admire it. "Let's hop to it and get this done!"

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter VII-Deception of the Eyes and Ears**

Abel had found the dining hall after a few minutes of wandering. In the process of his aimless wanderings he had stumbled upon the portraits of the previous Captain's of the _Tristan_. The priest was very happy to see that Jessica Lang's picture was up there with a sweet smile on her freckled face. And walking into the restraint area of the fascinating airship brought back the memories of the pilot in training.

Looking to the bar, the silver haired Father found a brunette there, but not Jessica. Course if had been her, he would have been suspicious. 100 years or so years had past, young bright Jessica was long dead and gone; nothing but a headstone to note her passing.

Seeing the buffet at the end of the room, Abel instantly lost his depressing line of thought to run at the food in ecstasy. There was chicken cooked in several different ways, mashed potatoes with gravy, string beans with peppers and squash, fish both fried and broiled, as well as steak, and along with many more things. And more appropriate for a member of the clergy. All the food was made in a high-class way, and it was heaven to the ice blue eyed man who had a bottomless stomach. The aromas flowing from the meal set out before him made Abel very nearly drool.

Grabbing the largest plate he could find, Abel pilled high his plate and found a table for two by a big window to watch the clouds drift by. He gobbled up his food, ignoring the looks the other passengers gave him. How long Abel sat there he didn't know, but it couldn't have been long, because he was only half done with his plate when a flash of white stopped at his side.

Looking up with a chipmunk like mouth full, the old priest found a pair of sparkling sapphire eyes staring down at him. He barely recognized her in the new habit she surprising wore. "E-Esther?"

She smiled broadly at Abel and his shock. "I can't look that bad that you can't recognize me Father Nightroad. I just modified a spare habit I had; I thought every Vatican uniform was unique to that person."

Still bug-eyed Abel nodded as he finally swallowed with a loud gulp. "That's true…it's just…isn't this a bit revealing," he murmured as a pink glow reached his pale ivory cheeks.

Esther looked down at herself. She wore a top that resembled something like that of an assembled long sleeved jacket sown together. The jacket part was sown and clasped to the medal collar that adorned her neck. The cross hanging from the collar lay in the gap between where her jacket ended and her corset top began. The corset itself was trimmed in sky blue and held together by the glistening spear clasps always adorning the Vatican uniforms. Around her waist she had half skirt draped over a mini-skirt that ended in lace. The mini skirt was mid-thigh and the leggings only ended an inch or so below that. There really wasn't all that much skin showing; Esther thought she looked nice.

"I thought I looked nice," she said with a slight pout.

"Oh…no, no, no! You misunderstand me Miss Esther," quickly yammered Abel, waving his hands before his as if it would erase his previous words. "I'm just saying that it may be showing too much for a Sister of the Church."

The teenage girl snickered as she placed her gloved hands on her knees, causing her to line closer toward Abel's still flushed face. He seemed befuddled by the hint of malice in the young lady's rosy smile. Esther's soft snicker came again, eyes never leaving the glacial like spheres.

"Good thing that I'm really not a Sister then, ha? Father Abel Nightroad?" she whispered face mere inches away from the priest's.

"…Aaa…um…eeer…" stumbled the Father, struggling to keep his ice blue eyes on Esther's face and not the gap in her garb.

Esther saw his struggled for words, and laughed silently to herself as she lined back giving the old priest his room. She saw that the Abel's face still hadn't lost the red glow as he stared so intently at his food. The mischievous teen grinned brightly enjoying her teasing the Father.

"Now I'm going to get some food. That is if you haven't devoured it all already Father," and off she went, half-skirt flapping in her wake.

Abel half smiled as she went. He admired Esther's ways of showing her independence and uniqueness. So much like Sister Esther, but less bound by the ways of the Church, but still remaining just as burdened as if she was. The glasses wearing priest felt saddened that both young woman's lives had been torn asunder by tragedy. They turned out to be more and more alike the more Abel learned about this new Esther.

With his glacial eyes wandering from Esther's back, Abel took in the other passengers. All of them were what appeared to be upper class. Letting his ice like orbs wandered over to a table of five young business men all quite boldly eyeing something to the side. Abel followed their line of sight to find that it was his friend and young companion they were ogling at. That got a rise out of the old an ancient priest and not a good rise either. Anger boiled in his chest as fire rouse in his eyes glaring at the men's backs. They must have felt the intensity of it, for they turned to face Abel and they paled at the look they received. The group of business men hurriedly averted their eyes; Abel still continued to give the five of them death glares.

This was how Esther found him; glaring and spitting fire at the five men.

"Father Nightroad, are you alright?" she asked, shocking the priest from his thoughts, his eyes shooting up to stare up at her. He smiled innocently up at her, but the part methuselah girl saw past it with ease.

Letting her sapphire pools wander to where Abel had glared, Esther found a group of young men leering at her, while their eyes racked her body possessively. The teen immediately started to glare at them, they only grinned further. Sticking her nose up in the air and letting a loud, "hmph" fill the air, Esther sat down to eat; her back to them all.

"Pompous jerks," she muttered cutting a small piece off her rare steak. Placing it in her mouth delicately with manners, she looked up to see Abel gapping at her. Once she swallowed she looked straight at into the glacial eyes behind the round glasses. "What? I didn't swear did I!?"

"Oh no, Miss Esther," goofily smiled Abel, waving his hands before him once more. "It's just, you're eating beef; the Church's servants don't eat beef, or pork."

The red headed teen grinned manically, the corner of her rosy lips pulling upward in a half sinister smile. There lurking between pink flesh was pearly ivory fangs, giving the half-smile all the more of a hint of malice.

"Once more Father Abel, I'm not a servant of God or the Church, I'm an abomination to both terran and methuselah races. So I will eat meat when and where I want," she lined silently forward whispering four words. "And I want to."

Abel gulped nervously; he was mistaking this Esther for _**his**_Esther; this Ester was something completely different. This Esther was what she said, a piece of both worlds, but to him abomination was over doing it. If anyone was an abomination here, it was him, but he didn't comment on either matter. The stern nonchalant expression on Esther's face kept him from correcting her. It was obvious to the black clad priest that this was both a sensitive subject and one that sparked her hate and rage; lots of hate and rage. This was something he knew all to well himself.

So they ate in silence, only the other people's soft chatter and mirth filling their meal with sound. It was awkward though, and the wrath coming off of Esther was electric and unsettling. Abel could barely stand it! How she could sit there eating like a princess, while he sat there in her uncomfortable presence. To the silver haired man she seemed to enjoy putting people into a panic with the animalistic wrath that she possessed.

"_She has a cold side to her,"_ Abel thought as he sipped his sugar filled tea.

"I'm done," she murmured suddenly startling the silver haired man from his thoughts. "I'm going back to the room for some rest." And the ¾ methuselah ivory clad form was walking away without a single word on Abel's part.

Abel would have sighed if the little cat calls from the table full of men didn't anger him so much. He glared with the power of the creature within him, but even the Crusnick's power did quite match Esther's ruthless ire.

The small statured teen spun, half facing the table of rude business men. On her face was a snarl complete with barred fangs and a raging hiss. However, it was Esther's eyes that mirrored certain death. The once sapphire spheres were cat-like now, with a hint of ruby glowing underneath. It was here that Abel Nightroad noticed how unstable this new Esther was. It wasn't her fault her blood lust and vamperic power was so difficult to handle. Able didn't blame her; he pitied her, and worried for her self preservation as well as the others close to her.

The snarl, hiss and death glare was enough to make the business men pale and quite nearly faint. It was the fangs though that caused the young men to quake and withdraw into their seats with horror.

Esther once more walked away without a sound. Abel watched her feeling responsible for the sudden unfortunate turn to the evening. He hadn't meant to offend, but only said the things that a nun and a Church's servant should do. Course that was where everything went wrong.

Pushing his plate aside, the hapless priest dropped his face into his hands. "Oh dear…" he moaned as he slunk further into his chair.

He hadn't meant to, never would do such a cruel thing intentionally, but unconsciously a thing couldn't be helped. When he saw this new Esther, he saw his old Esther. The one full of live and love…servant to God and the Church. His eyes saw, and believed the impossible. His ears heard and listen to the unmistakable.

"The comparison," he breathed, hands still holding his face. "It was the merely the comparison of her and Miss Esther that angered her; sensitive indeed. She wants me to see her as she is as a person and not what she looks or sounds like…"

Abel knew now that the differences that seemed so little between the two, was the giant rift between the two of them. He had ruined the evening for the both of them, and the priest knew that he had to apologize, though if he was in Esther's position, he wasn't so sure if he would forgive himself.

Rising from his table and solemnly making his way to his room where Esther waited angrily. But when he opened the door with his shining gold key, to his surprise he didn't find a methuselah girl ready to spit fire at him. No, instead he found a slumbering girl curled up in the lone window seat of their room.

The soft silvery blue of the full moon falling on her face illuminated her angelically. Her ebony bangs cascading across her pale porcelain face as she slept deeply giving her an innocent persona. When against any ordinary man she could render him to nothing but ribbons of flesh. The white silky nightgown she wore looked to weigh nothing; as light as air and floated as such above the floor. The material alone shimmered in the moonbeams giving Esther a new otherworldly persona. To Abel she was the pristine image of an angel as she slept on, her face turned away from the window and toward him. Yet beneath all the misleading characteristics was the unmistakable fact of her methuselah nature; a demon in human form.

Esther was as beautiful as she was deadly.

Sighing, Abel strode so he was standing right next do the slumbering girl's side. Her deep even breathing telling him hat she was very deep in her sleep. With more grace then he normally possessed, the legendary priest cradled Esther in his arms as he transferred her from window seat to bed. During that transfer, the young redhead had snuggled closer to the warm and comfort of Abel's chest.

A smile spread across Abel handsome face as he gazed down at his charge. "Sleep well Esther," he whispered in her ear as he pulled the sheets up. A small smile spread across her face as she burrowed herself further into the large bed's softness.

Chuckling at the girl's unconscious antics, Abel kicked off his heavy, metal laden boots, soon to be fallowed by a discarded armor, overcoat and shirt. The Vatican AX member remained in his paints for modesty's sake and turned once more to the bed. Carefully getting into the bed without waking the other, the Father lay on his stomach, arms under his head beneath his fluffy pillow. Abel gazed at the slumbering teen at his side for a time, watching as she mumbled incurrent things in her sleep; cute if you asked him. Finding it would be wise to get his own rest; Father Nightroad removed his round glasses and placed them on the bedside table. Letting a sigh leave him, Abel let sleep filled darkness take him, with images of two Esther's faces hiding in the emptiness.

- - -

A single beam of sunlight flowed across a sleeping Esther's face. It's intensity waking the mix breed girl from her rejuvenating rest. It was times like these she was glad that the sun did nothing to her but irritate her. With a disgruntled moan, the teen pushed herself to her elbows, struggling to shed sleep from her mind. Turning her sleepy azure eyes to her right, Esther found an empty bed instead of a slumbering Abel.

"Oh, you're awake now!"

The girl groaned from the loud sudden comment on her keen and groggy senses. _"Speak of the devil,"_ she thought before turning to stare into Father Nightroad's smiling face at the bathroom's door. "What time is it?"

Abel grinned coming to stand at the end of the bed. "It's about 9:30 in the morning, and we'll land in Pari in the next half-hour to forty-five minutes."

Esther sat up at stared up at the AX member. "How do you know that?" she questioned as she pushed aside blankets and rising to her feet. To only find that she was wearing her very thin silky ivory nightgown in front of a very handsome clergymen, blushing she wrapped the bed sheets around.

Abel blushing as well, struggled to disperse the image of an attractive young bed tousled Esther from his mind. Course that was terribly difficult when she was standing right there in front of him!

"Um…I ran into the Captain this morning, and asked when we would be landing, and he said we would be landing in Pari around 10:00 to quarter to."

Esther nodded not looking at Abel, but staring out the window she swore she fell asleep by. "You moved me didn't you Father Nightroad?"

"Yes," he nodded sheepishly. "I thought you'd be more comfortable sleeping in the bed."

The red and ebony haired methuselah girl softly smiled as she turned to her companion, a thankful twinkle in her cerulean orbs. "It's much appreciated, Father."

The tall priest smiled gently in return before lifting a glass of water and a bottle of ruby tablets within a clear orange bottle. "It was no trouble, but perhaps before things get carried away…I was wondering if this was the right time for you to take these."

The teen made an "O" face in surprise, normally taking the pills were the first thing she did, but she had completely forgotten today. "Right," she said with a half-hearted grin.

Already feeling she felt her strong bloodlust lurking beneath as she strode forward and took the glass and pill bottle. Taking two crimson tablets from the orange tinted bottle threw them into her fanged maw, to be washing them down with the glass of refreshing water. Still hugging the sheets close to her form, Esther sighed as she sat on the foot of the large and comfortable bed.

"Better now?" Abel asked taking the empty glass from her out stretched hand.

"Yes…much…" she breathed already feeling the pill's effects setting in.

Father Nightroad smiled down at the young girl with his famous goofy grin. "Alright then! I'll get you something to eat while you get ready." And the legendary priest left without even a single thank you from Esther.

So being left with her own devises, Esther got ready. Dressing herself I her self-modified habit, she looked herself over in the bathroom's mirror. Gazing at her reflection she already saw the returning of the cheery individual she once was. Smiling at her reflection as she pondered over how such an occurrence could have changed over such a short time. Course it didn't take one long to figure it out just who had caused her change. Stepping into the main room Esther found that very individual sitting at the table with two plates piled high with food.

"Aren't you over doing it Father Nightroad?" inquired Esther as she sat herself at the table and gesturing to the load of food.

Abel blinked at her shockingly with his mouth half-full with food. Swallowing the load of food the Vatican operative answered the methuselah girl animatedly. "This is hardly over doing it! I'm starving and I'm sure you are too. Besides, some of this food we could pack and bright with us."

Esther grinned as she took up a unmarred ruby apple. "Like the fruit for example."

Though it wasn't spoken as a question, Abel nodded in agreement none the less. Soon he devoured the food via inhaling, mumbling complements as he went. It was his childish gestures like always that brought a smile to the normally depressed girl's face. Biting into her own apple, Esther let herself enjoy the quiet and serene moment. It wasn't often she was able to put herself at ease, so she would enjoy the moment as it lasted.

Breakfast was soon consumed, on Abel's part mostly, and what was not eaten and could be packed, was. And the two individuals packed away the rest of their thing, including the many weapons they had stashed around the room. That was quickly started and finished, leaving Abel and Esther with nothing to do but stare blankly at each other.

"How much longer before we land Father Nightroad?" Esther asked as she stared out the window trying to see past the clouds to the ground below.

The AX member took out his pocked watch and stared at the time. "About five-"

"Attention Ladies and Gentlemen," said a voice over the intercom of the ship. "This is the Captain Konnely of the _Tristan _speaking. We are entering over Pari as we speak, and will be landing in about five minutes. So please assemble your things and prepare for our landing. At this time I would like to thank you for choosing the _Tristan _for your choice of travel_,_ and I hope you had a pleasant flight, please come again."

The click of the intercom told all that the Captain was indeed finished with his little notice and thank you speech.

Abel grinned at Esther while pocketing his watch once more. "It would seem that the Captain answered for me."

"So it would seem," chuckled the redhead. "We'll just have to wait for us to land."

And so in a comfortable silence the two very different individuals waited for the airship _Tristan_ to land and let them continue their very important journey.

A/M: yea, another chapter done! hope u all enjoyed it. I know its not really going anywhere, but it sets a certain understanding for Abel, and I couldn't exactly totally skip out the flight. Where's the fun in that? Hope u like it InuEd cuz ur just going to have to wait for the next one. (sigh) reader's are so demanding XD

Cheers,

BLAZE


	8. Clash of the Tenses

Disclaimer: saying that i own Trinity Blood and Abel Nightroad would be an absolute lie of course, but i'm going to say it anyway. I OWN ABEL NIGHTROAD AND TRINITY BLOOD!! There I feel better now ;P

**Last Time:**

"Attention Ladies and Gentlemen," said a voice over the intercom of the ship. "This is the Captain Konnely of the _Tristan _speaking. We are entering over Pari as we speak, and will be landing in about five minutes. So please assemble your things and prepare for our landing. At this time I would like to thank you for choosing the _Tristan _for your choice of travel_,_ and I hope you had a pleasant flight, please come again."

The click of the intercom told all that the Captain was indeed finished with his little notice and thank you speech.

Abel grinned at Esther while pocketing his watch once more. "It would seem that the Captain answered for me."

"So it would seem," chuckled the redhead. "We'll just have to wait for us to land."

And so in a comfortable silence the two very different individuals waited for the airship _Tristan_ to land and let them continue their very important journey.

**This Time:**

**Chapter VIII-Clash of the Tenses **

Esther let out a deep depressed sigh as she averted her eyes from the train schedules to the priest sitting on a bench not far from her. Striding back to Father Nightroad, the ¾ Methuselah teen sighed once more as she sat herself down.

"Something wrong Esther?" inquired Abel slightly worried over his companions continuous excessive sighing.

Sapphire eyes opened and stared into glacial ones. "Nothing horribly wrong I guess. Its just I was hoping to leave tonight, but all trains, even ones heading in the Empire's general direction don't arrive till mid-day tomorrow..."

"Well then, that leaves us with time to spare, and enjoy ourselves," exclaimed an excited Abel with his signature goofy grin and eye wrinkle.

Esther couldn't help but grin back. "I guess you're right. It isn't an absolute rush; we need to get there as soon as possible, but not to the point where we constantly move at a rigorous pace." The teen softly and rather nervously laughed to herself as a thought struck her, and got a curious stare from the silver haired Father in the process. "Sorry, I just though of what Augusta would say, or do if I brought you back half dead with exhaustion, and half starved as well."

Abel paled. "You wouldn't push little old me that far, would you Esther?"

"Course not!" came Esther's outraged reply. "I'm not that heartless I'll have you know, and neither am I stupid. I perfectly know that you can barely last a day without three large meals, let alone none and no sleep. I could do it, but terran like you aren't capable of such feats, and then there's the Empress. She'd punish me for mistreating you," the red haired habit wearing teen shivered. "I think I'll stay on Augusta's good side; I've seen her pissed off, and she's scary!"

Abel chuckled at the mention of his younger sibling's temper. _"She always did have a wicked temper," _he thought. _"Long fuse though; gives Seth her loving and caring personality."_

Esther rose once more to her booted feet, disturbing the priest from his silent muses.

"I'll go buy two tickets for the first train to the Empire, and then we can find an Inn."

And with money in hand, Abel watched the young woman walk away and collect their tickets. The priest didn't have long to wait before Esther returned with two shinny vouchers in hand. He looked up at her with a smile on his face, and was happy to see one returned.

"We have the first train out of here Father Nightroad," stated the red and ebony haired teen as she picked up her bag. "The train leaves at twelve-noon sharp. I asked about an Inn or hotel and the Ticketmaster said the hotel across the street was mainly used by passengers. So let's go give that place a try first."

"All right then!" chirped the animated AX operative. "I get to sleep on a soft warm bed tonight!!"

Esther gave him a look. "You slept in a nice bed last night Father! If we have to share a bed again, you might just find yourself sleeping on the floor."

All the sparkling stars and joy left the priest instantly as he slouched over with a look of devastation and depravity upon his handsome face. There may even have been a glimmer of tears in his wintery eyes behind his round glasses. "But Esther...my back; I have a bad back...you wouldn't be so cruel to me...would you?"

"Of course not," jovially chimed the Methuselah girl as she led the way out of the train station. "If it ends up not fitting us both, I can sleep on the floor; I've slept on things far worse then a hotel's plush carpet."

Abel stared at the generous mix-breed teen with flaming crimson hair as he followed her out the double doors in shocked silence. "You don't have to do that Esther; I can sleep on the floor if need be."

His only answer was a bright shinning smile that said, _"You can try to change my mind, but it ain't happening." _This made Abel softly smile down at the smaller statured individual at his side fondly.

Turning his eyes to gaze across the cobble stone road, the traveling clergymen saw a large, but rather simple hotel across from them. It was ten stories, with ivory bricks of stone for exterior walls, accented with wide black rod iron window frames and railings for the balconies. Marble pillars decorated the front of the building, along with its rod iron design glass doors that made the entrance.

"Simple but beautiful," murmured Abel, his glacial eyes still staring at the building before him.

Esther smiled up at her clergy companion. "Well then, let's go see if they have any vacancies for the night."

To their luck, they did. The room was decent sized with a bathroom, love seat and a single queen sized bed. The room was decorated in an off white and a lighter shade of crimson, with gold colored accents in the curtains, wood working and the blankets and pillows on the bed. The elegancy of the room brought back memories for the ¾ Methuselah girl as she looked about the room.

"Well this is pretty," she commented as she flopped on the bed. "Looks like something out of Rome."

Abel paused in his gazing at Esther's comment of Rome. "Yes," he agreed in a plain whisper as if he was in a far off place and very well could have been. "Like Rome..."

Esther turned her eyes to the floor knowing her comment had struck a mournful cord with the silver haired man. "Forgive me Father, I didn't mean to bring up the past."

Abel turned to the young lady; he saw the glimmer of regret and sorrow lurking in her eyes. "It's alright Esther, I miss Rome is all. Its just seems to be the past I live I guess."

"I understand Father Nightroad, but don't live in the past too much, or you'll forget to live in the present," murmured Esther softly, if Abel hadn't had his keen hearing he would never had heard it.

It was funny though to the clumsy priest, that those words would be spoken here and now. Abel remembered upon several occasions Caterina saying those same exact words. It appeared the ancient priest's past was repeating itself in the present with the same faces, but different people. Abel just hoped that it didn't repeat itself too much.

"Father…" droned the Methuselah teen as she stared oddly at the quiet man. "Are you with me?"

"Oh! Sorry Esther, I was caught up in a thought!"

She smiled angelically, but the fangs looking out of place within it. "That's alright Father. On a happier note though, why don't we go out; perk us up a bit."

Abel Nightroad couldn't stop the giant goofy grin that spread across his handsome face. He was smiling not just because he would get his growling belly some food, but because the dark young woman behind him was finally shining. Stuck in the city of Londinium, Esther had been surrounded constantly by bad memories and burdened by hardships. Now she was able to shine like the true star she was, outside the city that had once been a very beautiful place.

"Yes," agreed Abel, nodding his head excitedly. "A walk on the town does sound enjoyable."

The ¾ Methuselah teen surged to her feet with enthusiasm. "Great! I'll change out of the habit and we'll be off!" And grabbing her suitcase, Esther vanished into the bathroom.

The dark robed priest was about to protest, but he quickly stopped himself. This was not his Sister Esther Blanchett, this was just Esther. This girl had the Queen's face, but not her personality. Though she was a little rough around the edges, the silver haired Abel Nightroad, found that he was becoming rather fond of her.

He just needed to remember to treat her like herself, not Esther Blanchett.

During the Father's silent muses, Esther finished changing, and now stood in the washroom's doorway.

"Father Nightroad?"

"Y-Yes!?" stumbled the bumbling priest as he spun about to face the young woman. What he found though was another flash from his long ago past.

Standing before him, Abel saw that Esther was wearing an outfit not much unlike the one he had first met Sister Esther in. Well they had run into each other technically, but the resemblance was uncanny. Though Father Nightroad thought Esther Blanchett a boy at first, there was no mistaking what gender his new friend was. Esther's womanly features showed through the tight buttoned up black jacket, and the dark slim fitting pants clung to every inch of the feminine curve of her legs. The high heeled button up boots the redhead wore, now slimmed down the fragile looking limbs, while making them look longer.

Esther was a very attractive indeed, but Abel pushed those thoughts to the back of his brain, struggling to dissipate the blush that was growing on his face.

"Um…Father Nightroad…" trailed the slightly glowing teen. "Why are you blushing at me?"

At this time the absent minded priest thought it would normally be a good time to panic, but struggled to remain calm and collected.

"O-Oh its nothing Esther!" he quickly stumbled out as he waved his hands before him. "I was just…thinking of what Caterina said to me one time is all! I wasn't blushing at you, not at all!"

The teen cocked her head to the side, azure eyes wide in wonder; the image she created was very cute and did the priest no good at all. If Esther wasn't mistaken, the blush on Abel's pale face seemed to bloom into an even brighter shade of cherry. A cute act for such a handsome man, it brought a smile to the girl's face, earning her a smile in return.

"You know what Father," Esther said as she wrapped her scarf around her neck and making sure her hat was straight; Abel looked at his friend in bewilderment.

"What Esther?"

Pushing the cheery wood door open and walking into the hall, the teen was followed by the priest. "You're cute when you blush."

The blushes came anew as the Father gapped and sputtered at Esther. Abel's response to the comment bringing forth Esther's chiming laughter.

"T-That's not true! Men are supposed to be handsome and strong...and we don't blush!! We just go red in the face; yes, that's right."

Abel was going to go further into his debate on preserving his masculinity, but a series of snorts and giggles stopped him. He ended up giving the mirthful girl-child a dirty glare that had no affect on her what so ever.

"Honestly Abel," she retorted, struggling to snuff out her laughter, so she ended up snorting. "You should stop while you're ahead. You're little protest on preserving your dignity is only making you that much cuter!"

Abel halted in the hotel hall in that instant for two reasons. One, Esther still thought he was being cute. Two, and most importantly, Esther had said his name. Not his title, not his last name, but by his given name, and he couldn't help but like the sound of it; Sister Esther never said it.

Taking notice of Nightroad's lack of movement, Esther turned to him. "Something wrong Father Nightroad?"

"My name…" he murmured. "You called me by name, Esther."

The teen blinked, thinking back on her words. After a few seconds she remembered doing so, so she grinned. "So I did," she said and help up an ungloved hand for Abel to take. "Come on Abel; let's have a nice night on the town."

Giving a soft sincere smile, he grasped the small offered hand in his own. _"Yes," _he thought. _"…A nice night…"_

- - -

After an hour and a half of wondering and sight seeing, Abel and Esther sat themselves at a quaint little café, settling on sitting outside on the little courtyard the store had. The night was nice, but not perfect. Winter still clung to the large city; it was chill if one didn't wear a jacket. To those however, who had come prepared for the night, were comfortable. Sipping a steaming cup of tea made it all the better.

"Eleven…twelve…thirteen," counted out Abel as he put in his thirteen cubes of sugar. Taking a swallow of the brewed drink, the traveling Vatican priest let out a sigh of blissful contentment. He looked up though, to find Esther looking at him. "Yes?"

Lining back in her chair, the teen shook her head. "You, Father Nightroad, are the walking poster child for diabetes!"

A sad half smile made its way over the handsome priest's features. "I've been told that before, a long time ago…and I responded by stating I've got maple sugar running through my veins…" Abel let out a sigh as he stared into his nearly empty steaming cup. _"Déjà vu,"_ he said to himself smirking at the oddity of the situation.

Seeing that sad far away look in the eyes behind the glass, Esther sighed in slight frustration, the sound gaining Father Nightroad's attention. So the redhead stared directly into the flawless wintery spheres.

"What did I say about the past Father?" She raised a brow before continuing. "Remember it, but don't live it; it makes things worse. Everyone has a past they are not particularly proud of or something left undone; I understand that completely, but we must learn from it." A small smile spread across Esther's face as she stared at the Father. "Don't carry every cross on your shoulders Abel; you'll never last."

He couldn't keep from grinning at the wise girl-child. "You got all that from sheer observation then?"

Esther nodded. "It wouldn't take a genius to notice Nightroad."

Abel Nightroad's uplifting chuckle flowed through the calm night air. "True enough, but let us enjoy our drinks; dwelling on the present would be a better conversation."

"Sounds good to me," genuinely smiled Esther, holding her empty cup in both hands. "Waitress," she called out and the young brunette waitress came. "I'll have another."

"Anything else," roughly asked the young woman to Esther.

"Yes," spoke up Abel with a goofy yet charming smile. "I'd like another one as well and…"

And right on queue, the priest's stomach let out a loud and rolling gurgle. Two feminine giggles wafted through the air, and Abel looked between Esther and the waitress sheepishly. With a blush growing steadily in his cheeks, he quickly looked to his lap.

"I'll bring out some biscuits just for you Father," chirped the brunette, as she batted the dark lashes to her coffee brown eyes. Her face too, was beginning to glow with a pinkish tinge.

Father Nightroad beamed up at the young woman with stars in his wide ecstatic eyes. "You'll do that for me!? Oh, you're an absolute angle Miss!!"

The waitress blushed further as she smiled at the childish priest. "It's on the house Father. I'll be right back with your tea and biscuits." She left with a bat of her long lashes accompanied by a sweet smile.

"Here that Esther? Free biscuits!!"

"Oh I heard," she said staring at the oblivious male. "But it was hard to pay attention to the conversation when I was distracted by how boldly that girl was giving you the Eye."

Abel cocked his head to the side. "…the Eye…?"

Esther mentally smacked a palm against her forehead. "Please…_please_ tell me Abel, that you noticed that our waitress was flirting with you!? If you're going to dazzle the female race, the least you can do is answer with some flirtation of your own."

"F-F-Flirt!?" stuttered the flabbergasted Abel as a blush blossomed on his face. "Esther come on now! I'm a clergymen, I'm not allowed to flirt!"

Chiming laughter was the priest's answered to his embarrassed protests. "Don't give me that crap, Abel. Dandelion flirted with Sister Esther all the time; any man is allowed to flirt, clergymen or not. "You though," she said pointing a finger at the silver haired man, till the appendage nearly touched his nose. "Dazzled that poor girl with your smile, handsome face and gracious praises; she's most likely swooning in there and gossiping about you with her coworkers."

Abel mumbled incoherently.

"What was that? I didn't hear you."

Without looking up from his dark clad lap, the AX member answered softly still. "You said I was handsome…and how do you know Leon?"

"Well…" Esther trailed as she stumbled for words. "…a…it's…it's the truth. Any woman on the planet would call you handsome, if not drop dead gorgeous." Esther looked away to hide her own blush now. _"He's God's gift to the female race is what he is! But there's no way in Hell I'm telling him that!!"_ she thought to herself. "And Her Majesty told me how she met Father Leon."

Abel boyishly pouted. "Men are not gorgeous."

Esther giggled from behind her hand. "Keep telling yourself that Father, I'm sure you'll believe it eventually." She received a scowl for her comment, but smirked in return. "Don't look now, but our love struck waitress is coming this way." She watched as the man across from her stiffened and she struggled to snuff out her mirth with a hand.

Said waitress came with an extra sway to her curving hips; smile pleasantly placed upon her freckled face, while her eyes glimmered and were only for Abel Nightroad. In her hands she held a small tray with two cups of tea and a plate of piled high with dinner biscuits. It surprised Esther that the young woman remembered her drink at all.

With graceful movements that placed her close to the silver haired Father, the waitress put down the plate and tea before him.

"Here you are Father," came her sweet flirtatious voice, as she simultaneously placed Esther's drink before her without even giving her a glance. "Please enjoy, and if you need **anything**, please don't hesitate to ask." And like she came she left, swaying hips and all.

"_Whore,"_ mentally snarled Esther as she resisted the urge to vomit; her innocent flirtation was pushing it for her, but now it was becoming too much.

She _**did not**_ need to be subjected to something like that. However seeing a tomato red priest, stiff as a four-by-four, the nausea was replaced with mirth. Esther tried to hold the laughter back, but it soon came out in harsh obnoxious snorts, soon to become full blown laughter.

Abel scowled. "It's not funny Esther."

The scowl would have shut up her up if it wasn't for the tomato red flushed face that the glare belonged to. "I'm sorry Father, but…" another series of snorts ensued. "…your lack of ability with women is so pathetic it's adorable!" The scowl only deepened.

"Sorry for being so _pathetic _Miss Esther."

She gave a sheepish smile and opened her mouth to apologize, but closed it with a clank of fangs. Sitting straight now at attention, the ¾ Methuselah girl stared around her while sniffing the air.

"Is there something wrong Esther?" Abel asked worried by the sudden change in his friend.

"Do you smell that?"

Abel narrowed his eyes in uncertainty, but inhaled deeply. Letting his Crusnik senses awaken, on the city's night air Abel did in fact smell it. Glacial eyes snapped open, quickly narrowed in seriousness.

"Blood."

Pulling the scarf up to cover her nose and mouth, the red and ebony haired teen bolted from her seat and leapt over the iron fence to the sidewalk and sprinted down the street. Abel went to run after her, but scurried back to pay for the tea and stash the left over biscuits in his robes for later.

Once the meal was paid for, the traveling priest ran after his companion, her dark scarf flapping in his face as he knew his ivory red cross adorned scarf trailed behind him. Lucky for him, Esther wasn't using _"haste"_ or he would never have caught up with her. Yet with his long legs he soon came astride with her.

"Where is it coming from?" he called over the wind.

"The next side street up ahead," came Esther's muffled answer.

The AX operative wanted to ask why she covered her face, but he was interrupted by a high pitched feminine scream.

Bursting forth with renowned speed, the unique pair came to a sliding halt at the mouth of the dead end side street. There, circling a pair of young terran women was a group of four Methuselah men. The lustful looks of desire and hunger keen in their cat like eyes.

"Freeze!" roared out Abel drawing his Leopard Revolver. "Let the girls go and there won't be an unnecessary violence."

The four men turned their fanged faces toward them, faces turning from slight surprise, to looks of hatred and malice.

"It's a Vatican lapdog," seethed a shabby blonde.

Abel narrowed his hardened ice eyes as he cocked his gun. "I was having pleasant evening gentlemen, before you ruined it. So I repeat; one last time…let the girls go."

An ebony haired Methuselah dressed in a leather trench fully turned to face the priest and his silent companion. "And what if we don't? We're all so hungry, and these two bitches look more then enough to satisfy our tastes." The man smirked, his green eyes falling to Esther who remained stone faced unmoved behind her scarf. "Course you little friend looks as good as the two combined; how about a trade priest?"

Abel scowled; the klutzy, pathetic, sorry priest was gone, leaving behind a very pissed off man with destructive power. "Lay a finger on her and I will not hesitate to kill you," coldly threatened the legendary Father.

"Aww…"pouted the vampire. "But we were going to have so much fun," laughed the leader, while the other men's chuckles soon joined in; the women whimpered.

Esther chose to act then.

While the four were distracted mainly by Abel, the young redhead sprang forward with _"haste"_. Everyone barely saw her move, the only thing that notified them of her passage, was the rushing wind slapping the vampires in the face. The shocked cries of the two terran women caught their attention as they vanished before their predators' eyes. Not a split second later Esther appeared at Abel's side with a teen under each arm.

"Run and get to safety," flatly spoke Esther through her scarf, as she set the women on their feet.

With quick hysteric thank yous, the two girls were off, unharmed for the most part.

"You should have stuck with the pills," seethed the teen as she drew a gun from the holster at her lower back and aimed it at the group of gang leader.

Now that they knew she was Methuselah, they were all severally pissed off. Methuselah and terran, especially Vatican lapdogs didn't interact, let alone defend each other.

"Bitch!" screamed a brunette as he whipped out a pistol. However, before he could shoot, a crack from Abel's gun, his bullet shot the weapon out of the enemy's hand; leaving the vampire's gun to clatter brokenly, to the ground.

"In the name of the Father, of the Son and the Holy Spirit, you are under arrest for attempted murder. Please turn yourselves in without further trouble and I'm sure the local authorities will lessen your punishment," stated Abel.

"You're too much of a pacifist Father," murmured the Methuselah girl. "They'll never turn themselves in, and they'll cause too much trouble if left alive."

"That's right priest," scoffed the ebony haired leader. "Listen to your little traitorous vampire friend; we won't go quietly. We do what we damn please, at any time!"

Even if Abel didn't approve a killing, he could not see any way out of the mess they were in. "Very well," he whispered. _"May God forgive me,"_ mentally prayed the ancient priest.

"Heaven helps those who help themselves, Amen," muttered Esther and sprang forward as a sword like appendage grew from her right hand, while the left held her gun. Quick and nimble, the redhead teen stabbed and shot two of the group members before they even knew what happened.

The two remaining, were left staring at Esther. Though they should have been watching the priest, for he was the one that shot and knocked the gun from the blonde's hand. Abel's actions gave Esther the opening she needed to fire a silver bullet into the clueless vampire's heart. This finally left the dark haired leader; in a matter of a minute, his gang was dead.

He glared daggers as he extended his nails into claws. "You kill me and you'll wish you were never born," seethed the vampire, fangs bared in ire. "I have connections to a group so strong it could trample the Vatican with little effort!!"

Abel Nightroad and Esther stiffened, glaring fire and daggers. "Rozen Krotz," they said.

The Methuselah gave a malevolent chuckle. "That's right! Be afraid, because our Master is back!!"

Esther grew livid, hackles rising as Abel strode forward with gun raised. Yet it was not the Father that acted, it was the mix-breed girl. With _"haste"_ Esther charged, hat flying from her head. However, the vampire scum was ready for her. As she flew past, he dodged to the side, slashing out at Esther's covered face.

Growing worried for his companion, Abel drew closer as Esther came to a sliding stop a few feet from him; ruby hair tousled from the wind. As she raised her face, Father Nightroad saw the scarlet line adorning her cheekbone that slowly flowed blood. Almost as if on its own accord, the scarf encircling her neck fell away, with Esther's face revealed, so was the cut. It went from cheek bone, slanted downward till it almost reached the bridge of her nose. Abel knew it would heal without a scar, but striking a girl on the face was considered a high ranking sin to him.

Abel watched the cool and collected Esther turn to her untouched target. The look on his face was an expression of staggering surprise. His dark eyes trailed over every feature of Esther's face and hair.

"You!!" he gapped. "Master is loo-"

He never finished. Because with a blade stabbed through one's stomach, it does make it particularly difficult to speak past the pain and choking on blood.

Wrenching her blade from his gut, Esther drew back a few steps, breathing heavily, eyes narrowed into slits. "Give the Devil my regards when you pass him on the way to Hell."

Collapsing to his knees, with the light nearly gone from his eyes, a blinking red object fell to the cobblestone street. Falling face first onto the damp dirty street, the vampire breathed his last, as Abel silently prayed to God on his behalf. Yet the priest's full attention was on the strange object as he kneeled by it and took it up in his gloved hand. Upon realization of what it was, wide glacial eyes stared up at cerulean pools.

"This is a tracing transmitter. If the Orden has already received the signal, then they're on their way as we speak," rushed out Abel as he quickly dropped the device and shot it to a dozen ruby pieces. "Why though? Why are they so desperate to find us?"

Esther placed the remains of her sweeping scarf around her face, as she fetched her hat and placed it upon her head once more. "We're the enemies of the God of Chaos that wants to destroy the world. So they're looking for us; that's all we need to know," she murmured as she faced the tall silver haired priest. "We have to be more careful in the future."

A/N: sry for taking so long to update!! I've been so busy with school its freaking me out. First there was a bunch of papers due and now its close to mid-term and we all know just how chaotic that is. But I promise to try and update sooner. AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!! YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SO HAPPY!! But stick with me now cuz things are about to get really interesting…(evil chuckle)…some very interesting ppl show up in the next chapter...BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

this is BLAZE,

and I'm out


	9. Nemo Sanctus Espirtus I

Disclaimer: I own Trinity Blood... (receives smack over the head by friend). Fine, I do not own Trinity Blood and Abel Nightroad.

**Last Time:**

"This is a tracing transmitter. If the Orden has already received the signal, then they're on their way as we speak," rushed out Abel as he quickly dropped the device and shot it to a dozen ruby pieces. "Why though? Why are they so desperate to find us?"

Esther placed the remains of her sweeping scarf around her face, as she fetched her hat and placed it upon her head once more. "We're the enemies of the God of Chaos that wants to destroy the world. So they're looking for us; that's all we need to know," she murmured as she faced the tall silver haired priest. "We have to be more careful in the future."

**This Time:**

**Chapter IX- Nemo Sanctus Espirtus I**

"I sleeping on trains," whined the glasses wearing, hapless priest as he continued to punch his annoyingly lumping pillow. "It's so hard to sleep on a bumpy train, and they're a nightmare on my back!"

Esther inwardly sighed as she continued to stare out their cabins single window. "Father Nightroad, this is the best we can do. And no amount of your complaining is going to alter the fact that we've been on this train for two days now and nothing is going to change how the ride is," sternly stated the redhead, not looking at the silver haired Father across from her. Esther didn't like trains anymore then Abel did, but the priest was done enough complaining for the both of them, so she didn't comment.

Abel finally laid down on the pull out futon that was once the bench, with the now well abused pillow beneath his head. His back was the mix-breed girl, but she still heard the comment that made a smile happily grace her face. The Father always did complain about his boss a lot, or so Esther was told by Her Majesty.

"Like Lady Caterina, am I?" Snickered Esther looking finally to the priest and saw Abel stiffen. "I'm that much of an Iron Maiden. Am I?"

Abel turned onto his side so that he was now facing the young woman. His eyes the shade of a lake at winter burrowed into the flawless sapphire pools that were Esther's own eyes. "You both have similarities, but Caterina had a better control of her temper," declared Abel with an innocent grin and eye wrinkle.

The teen huffed. "I do not have a temper," she snapped crossing her arms over her chest. "And if I did, I would have perfect control over it!"

"Oh really," chuckled the holy man. "Then what's this,"and he waved a gloved finger over Esther's taut body stature. "Tense and defensive, two indications that said person does in fact have an uncontrollable temper."

The ¾ Methuselah teen scowled at the man across from her, but remained as she was. "I thought you were going to have a nap?"

It was Father Nightroad's turn to scowl at Esther, but his was more adorable then threatening. The young red and ebony haired girl was barely able to contain her mirth at the spectacle. Abel must have noticed, because he began to pout and decided to turn his back to Esther once more. She stared at the black clothing for a moment in a more serious state of mind. Laughter forgotten, the young lady pondered if the priest's robes were warm enough. The window wasn't open; not like she'd open it with the speed they were going. However, the heater wasn't on either being that it was beginning to warm up, but a terran could still catch sick, even in the current weather.

Deciding she would rather have a healthy Father Abel instead of a sick one, Esther picked up a fleece blanket at the end of her bench, and placed it on the slumbering priest. Or what she thought was a slumbering priest, but Abel was more awake then she realized. When she placed the blanket on him he started and giving a small "Huh?" before turning his head to find a flushed Methuselah girl.

Abel stared blankly at Esther as he blinked several times in confusion.

Returning back to her full height, the teen nervously fidgeted with a strand of crimson hair as she bowed her head to hide her further blushing face. "I…I didn't want you to catch a cold. It would only make the journey that more difficult."

The wandering priest smiled warmly at the girl-child. "Thank you Esther, that's very kind of you, but you shouldn't worry about my health; I don't get sick easily."

Esther raised her head then, with eyes slightly widened in curiosity, but she smiled none the less. "Good to know. I don't want a sick Father when taking care of a hungry Father is a challenge already," she said to lighten the mood with the help of an innocent grin.

"How mean," moped the full grown man as he laid his head back on the pillow.

"You shouldn't sleep with your glasses on Abel; you'll bend and crush them."

Before she really fully realized what she was about to do, Esther leaned over the Vatican operative. She had already half removed the glasses when Esther stopped mid-motion shocked at her actions. Her strong yet fragile hands were touching Abel's fair face; the pale flawless skin as soft as the teen thought it would be. The priest's glacial eyes stared up at her in surprise, as a pinkly glow grew in his cheeks, soon followed by Esther's own. Yet at the sight of the blood rush to his face, it woke the nightmarish hunger for blood in the young woman. Squeezing her eyes shut against the urges, the crimson haired teen finished the job of removing the wire rimmed specs. Esther was tense, and she knew Abel would feel it coming off of her in waves; so to ease the strain she poked fun at the traveling Father.

"Geez…I feel like your mother," she exclaimed as she placed the glasses on the table near Abel's head. The comment earned her a small smile hinting at past sadness, and that was all.

In Esther's position she stood there, unsure of what to do, the strain only seemed to thicken to the point that it was painful. The teen was pretty sure she was the only one feeling it now, as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. It was Abel's relentless yet innocent stare that did this to the ¾ Methuselah girl as she refrained from staring back in a transfixed trance. Soon though, Father Nightroad turned on his side so his back was to the strange redhead. The tension ebbed, yet still Esther felt it weigh down on her like water. Course as engrossed in trying to keep herself from nervously fidgeting uncontrollably, she almost didn't catch the words the Father muttered; words that greatly shook her.

"…Sister Esther said that a few times…"

The Methuselah girl bowed her head, ebony bangs eclipsing her face. The relentless tension washed over Esther ten fold, weighing on her like gallons upon gallons of dark water. Here she was getting all fidgety and blushing over her act of touching Abel like some lowly, naïve schoolgirl. And here he was thinking of her adoptive grandmother when it was she who was standing in front of him. She knew he hadn't meant it like that; he didn't mistake her for **her**, but she did take it that way. Esther couldn't stop the Green Monster of envy from rearing its ugly head and twist itself in her breast. Beautiful, perfect, Esther Blanchett; caring, loving, delicate, wholly terran, and wholly nobility, who could ever compare?

Sensing the burning in her sapphire eyes, Esther rose from the train's cushioned bench. Minutes had pasted since Nightroad had uttered those words and the teen could hear his even deep breathing, signifying he was asleep. Now would be the perfect time to leave behind the cramped and tension filled cabin.

Taking to her booted feet and proceeding to the sliding door, Esther opened it but faltered upon the threshold. Her voice came soft and mournful as she breathed some words of her own before taking her leave of the compartment.

Little did Esther know that the supposed slumbering clergymen was in fact, very much awake; glacial eyes staring at the weavings of the crimson bench as they seemed to quiver at Esther's words. Like his words to her, Esther's words shook him to the core, and she was absolutely right in her assumption. Abel closed his eyes picturing a different pair of blue eyes and a red mane of hair from years past.

"_It must be very painful to stare at my face every day,"_ replayed Esther's words in the Father's head as the blackness of sleep finally took him.

- - -

Reaching the meal car, Esther plopped herself at he bar in a very unlady like manner. Laying her slim arms on the onyx counter top, she laid her chin upon them and let out a deep sigh.

"Wow, that was one heck of a sigh," exclaimed a voice.

The teen started at the voice, as her head shot up to find a young man smiling down at her while his warm brown eyes did the same. He had shaggy blonde hair that hung slightly in his eyes. And that blondish hair was drawn back into a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. He was handsome, or as handsome as a boyish looking guy can be. She just kept staring at him trying to place where she had seen him before; he seemed so familiar.

"You going to order something, or just stare at me all night?" asked the young man finally when seeing Esther wasn't going to start up a conversation any time soon.

The teenage boy's inquiry finally shook the redhead from her silent muses. "I…just need a cup of water."

"That all?" a nod was the bartending boy's answer. "My names Dietrin by the way; what's your name young Miss?"

Esther scoffed at the young Miss part; like hell she was, but she let it go. "My name is Es," she said firmly, the less information she gave out the best. She even resorted to wearing the button up jacket and slacks complete with the button up boots instead of the habit. There would be less suspicion of what she and Abel were doing, or so she hoped.

Dietrin looked over at Esther with a raised brow. "Es? That all?'

"Yea, got a problem with it ask my dead parents," huffed the redhead as she fumbled with her pill bottle beneath the counter's ledge.

The young bartender gave a sheepish half grin as he laid the full glass of water before his only customer. "Sorry, it's just a strange name; it almost sound like an abbreviation for something."

"Is that so," murmured Esther quickly pushing the horse sized ruby pills into her mouth and quickly following it up with half the glass of water, as she silently cursed herself for not coming up with something more creative. "It's just a name; nothing important."

"You're Methuselah."

The abrupt comment nearly made Esther spit out the mouthful of water she was about to swallow. The fact that this bartender, which looked like a kid, could figure that out so damn quickly was unnerving. Azure eyes burrowed into Dietrin with an icy sternness. No one should have know what she was, the few characteristics the Methuselah had to signify what race they were, Esther lacked, other then the fangs of course.

"How do you know that," droned Esther quietly but still threatening.

Dietrin chucked scratching the back of his neck. "You're not the first person I've seen to throw back a pill. I've gotten plenty of Methuselah customers while I've been here."

The girl nodded in understanding, however remaining silent. Normally she dodged meaningless prattle, but she didn't want to go back to the cabin quiet yet. Abel was there, which would have made her quest for sleep, fruitless. So Esther was resorted to stay where she was; at the bar being depressed and drained with an annoying boy talking at her.

"It its not to bold for me to say, but Es…you look like an absolute train-wreck. I think someone needs a pick me up."

Esther laid her head against eh cold onyx stone of the bar top. "I need something strong, I don't care what it is just something strong."

The young man chuckled as he turned his back to Es. It didn't take Dietrin long to turn back around with a glass in hand and filled with amber liquid.

She eyed it skeptically. "What is it?"

"Don't ask! I'll just say that this thing is a mix of some strong liquors." Dietrin scratched the back of his head, reminding Esther of a certain priest she didn't want to think about right then. "This concoction has the power to make even a full frown man fall flat on his ass."

The young woman that looked do young to drink, but was in fact old enough to drink, looked back at the drink. There at least had to be brandy or whiskey because of the color, but what else Esther didn't know, not sure she wanted to. Picking the crystal glass up, the red and black banged girl sniffed it. It burned her nose causing her to cough and hack up a storm.

Dietrin laughed at her as he scowled back. "Just drink it; its not going to kill you, yea know. Maybe a hangover, but that's the worst case scenario."

Giving a curt nod, Esther brought the drink to her lips. Taking a small amount in her mouth, the ¾ Methuselah found the drinks strength matching that of freight train. Forcing herself to swallow the liquid lava, Esther gasped for breath once it was down.

"What the hell did you put in this!?! What is it!?!"

The blonde bartender laughed, eyes sparking with mirth at Esther's expense. "A little bit of this, a little bit of that. But the name of this drink is the Devil's Basket."

"I can tell why," exclaimed the girl as she took another swallow. It wasn't so bad this time, now that she knew what to expect. But the alcohols flavor was nearly none existent because of the burn was so overwhelming. "This will get you hammered real quick."

Dietrin nodded in agreement as he cleaned a beer mug. "Most people end up gagging and gasping on the ground after one swallow. You did a lot better then most, but being Methuselah means you can handle more then a human."

Esther nodded again taking another sip, but after that she put it down. "I don't think I can handle any more of that," she mumbled holding her stomach as it began to ache. "The drink and my stomach aren't getting along well."

"That happens sometimes. It's the combo that makes Methuselah sometimes sick. Give it some time and you should be fine Es."

"Yea…but its not necessarily being sick…this is different…"

Dietrin raised a brow as he eyes his customer. "How so?"

The crimson haired teen curled on herself as she clutched her stomach with one arm and the counter's edge with the other in pain. "I'm thirsty….really, really….thirsty..." Esther wheezed squeezing her eyes shut so she didn't star at the terran boy before her. "Holy mother of Hell it hurts! What the hell!?!"

A snicker ran in Esther's keen ears, making her cringe more. Opening a single pain filled squinted eye, the teen found the sound came from Dietrin. He was laughing; laughing really wasn't the word for it though. It wasn't a pleasant sound; it was full of sadistic intent and full of malice. Esther would have loved to slit his throat then, but a sudden bang of thirst and pain hit her like a punch to the stomach. She crumbled onto the counter with her breath heavily labored.

"Why…are…you laughing? What…have you…done?"

Still laughing malevolently Dietrin removed a half full vial of a reddish clear liquid. Esther eyed it questionably from where she was with squinted eyes that held a blood red luster.

"I put that in your drink Esther; you should know exactly what that is," sneered the completely changed young man.

The pained girl looked wide eyed up at the boyish bartender. He knew her name, and that fact alone meant very bad news. And worse yet, Esther now knew exactly what lay in that vial.

"A catalyst…to excite the very thing…that makes Methuselah…what they are…and you put that much in my drink…and you know my name…who..who are you," wheezed out Esther as if she had just run for days on end.

Dietrin grinned evilly, chilling Esther by the mere sight of it. "You should know that by now…Princess."

Esther glared daggers through her agony. "RosenKreuz…" she seethed to only flinch in pain after.

The boy smiled and capped his hands. "Bingo!"

Forcing herself to sit straight in her stool, Esther snarled the best she could in her state of misery. "What do you want!?"

Dietrin just smiled and said nothing. Esther waited for him to answer, and all he did was grin innocently. It became obvious that the Orden member wasn't going to answer, so Esther went to yell at him, but her wheezy voice was swallowed by a sudden loud blast.

The explosion shook the meal car as if the little train car was experiencing an earthquake. The jolting and shrieking of steel wheels upon iron rails, mixed with cries of the horrified rang in Esther's keen vampiric ears. She clutched at the counter as she wheezed for breath and so she was not flung about as the previous cars derailed and piled one after the other. The shaky ride only made the painful urge for blood all the more painful for the young woman and she was glad that the shaking finally came to an end. However for the explosion to happen and for the whole train to jolt the way it did all the way down to the last meal car, meant the engine car no doubt was destroyed.

"What have…you done, you bastard!?!" she roared as she struggled to her feet, to slowly find her footing; drink in hand so she could chuck it at Dietrin.

He didn't answer just like before, just continued to mockingly smile at her. If she hadn't been so preoccupied with her induced thirst or pain, Esther may have noticed the boy flicker his eyes off of her and to the door.

"You'll pay for all those lives lost in that explosion!!"

A soft creaking of the meal cars door sliding open filled Esther's ears. She was about to snarl a warning at the stupid newcomer with really bad timing. However, a voice sounded through the air to halt the young Methuselah teen in her place like a statue of ice.

"A pleasure to meet you again…Lady Esther," murmured an evil voice at her back, yet that voice felt like smooth midnight velvet on her sensitive senses.

The shattering of a single crystal glass was the answer to the sinister man's mocking comment.

All young Esther wanted to do in that instant upon hearing his voice was grow a pair of wings and curl herself in them for her mental security's sake. Right about now would be nice to have her faith back, and believe that she could have a guardian angel to save her from her current nightmare. Esther however, lost all hope and faith unfortunately, to the man at her back, and nothing was left.

"_Damn it…" _she mournfully sighed to herself. _"Where's a guardian angel when you need one…"_

A/N: yea, there u go people, a new chapter up, and another cliffy to piss you all off. Can anyone guess who's who here? Some of you can I hope, but don't ruin it for the rest of the ppl, just review and tell me what you think. Now I think I'll go to sleep, Halloween was murder on me…(yawn) I haven't rocked that hard in forever, I feel old now, go me (sigh) o well, bye all, till next time and let's hope that's sooner rather then later.

BLAZE

**Little translation note: **_**Nemo**_**-is another word for Nameless. **_**Sanctus Espirtus**_**: is Latin for "Holy Spirit". So English translation for title: ****Nameless Holy Spirit**


	10. Nemo Sanctus Espirtus II

Disclaimer: I'm steadily growing tired of saying that I don't own Trinity Blood, don't we know this by now.

**Last Time:**

"A pleasure to meet you again…Lady Esther," murmured an evil voice at her back, yet that voice felt like smooth midnight velvet on her sensitive senses.

The shattering of a single crystal glass was the answer to the sinister man's mocking comment.

All young Esther wanted to do in that instant upon hearing his voice was grow a pair of wings and curl herself in them for her mental security's sake. Right about now would be nice to have her faith back, and believe that she could have a guardian angel to save her from her current nightmare. Esther however, lost all hope and faith unfortunately, to the man at her back, and nothing was left.

"_Damn it…" _she mournfully sighed to herself. _"Where's a guardian angel when you need one…_

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter X-Nemo Sanctus Espiritus II**

Esther would have loved to spin around and attack the newly arrived man, but her body didn't want to move. The thirst for blood and how she fought it made the overdose of the drug that much worse. Course, compared to the sudden wave of fear that rushed over Esther freezing her to her stop was incomparable. Nothing could stop or overwhelm the horrific terror she now felt at the sound of that single man's voice.

"…I killed you…you're supposed to be dead…several times over…" the young girl gasped out trying to rein in her obvious terror unsuccessfully.

A chuckle was heard just behind her. "Yes, many people have tried to kill me, but none of them have ever succeeded," the man said, his breath hot on Esther's ear. "Even your precious Abel Nightroad tired and failed."

Finding strength in that instant, Esther spun about to face the haunting male. Upon sight though, the young teen found her body frozen again before the living nightmare. If there was a man she despised, feared and sought after with vengeance as much as Cain, it was this man; this charming, handsome devil.

"Isaak Fernando Van Kampfer…"

Isaak gave that haunting smile of his. "I see I won't have to be reintroducing myself."

"Master Isaak," chirped the bartender boy catching both Esther's and Isaak's attention. "Glad to see you; hope everything went well."

"It did Puppet Master," answered the dark haired Magician.

Esther stared between the two RosenKreuz members. "Puppet Master!? But Dietrich died a long time ago, and by your own bastard of a Master I might remind you!!" Before the comment could get her killed, the young redhead used her "haste" to bolt for the car's door.

As fast as herself, the Autojagers she had nightmares about came just as fast. They filed through the door, to fill the hall and further down the hall; the exit was impassable. This was bad for Esther; she couldn't fight off Isaak, the Puppet Master as well as the zombie crew. Esther knew she instantly had to get away or everything at stake was done for. While the undead soldiers advanced on her, the ¾ Methuselah girl drew further back toward a window.

"You sick bastards," she seethed. "These were….are your own kind Isaak, how could you let them do this!" Esther barked holding her stomach that ached as her whole body sung for blood.

The Mechanical Magician grinned as he and Dietrin strode forward, the group of Autojagers moving aside. Isaak's grin spread further across his shrewd features.

"Simple really; Dietrin being his generations Puppet Master needed more soldiers to test his abilities. And Master Cain requested more as well." The malevolent mysterious man leaned in and Esther took a step back hitting the car's wall. "They were already dead anyway, what do I care."

Esther bared her fangs at the magician, as she glared toward the very delicious looking, very terran Dietrin, the Puppet Master. "I'll make you both pay! Right now though, I have to find some one. So I'll see you freaks at another time."

With a boast of "haste", Esther did not hesitate as she crashed through the nearest window. Landing and rolling to a stop in a pool of glass and muddy water, the teen took note that it was raining now. Pushing herself to her feet, Esther pushed herself on; ignoring the waves of pain and hunger crashing down on her.

"I need to fine Abel," she breathed aloud, as she ran through the rain toward the car she shared with the priest. "Abel!" she called looking around the wreckage of the train; no silver haired man was seen. With little else to do, Esther burst through their cabin's window in a flurry of more shattered glass. "ABEL NIGHTROAD!!!!"

Nothing. There was no answer to her call. There was no body sleeping on the bench where she had left the Father an hour ago. However, there was the appearance that Abel was shaken awake by the explosion that shook the train. Rushing to the door, Esther slammed it open calling the man at the top of her lungs.

"FATHER ABEL NIGHTROAD!!!!"

Answering her call was someone, more like something she didn't want to see. An Autojager stood towering over the small statured teen, axe in hand, staring through its red goggles at her. Esther couldn't help but gasp in shock and take a step back into the doorframe. The animated corpse only followed her step for step.

A loud bang rang out through the train's hall. Esther barely noticed the sound before the creature before her head exploded, showering her with blood. She just stood there gapping in shock as the aroma of blood filled her nose as well as tasting it on her lips. So engrossed in her nearly uncontrollable bloodlust that she barely noticed Abel stopping before her with gun in hand, proving he was the shooter.

"Esther you alright," he asked looking up at his young companion. "I've been looking all over for you! The RosenKreuz are here, but I don't think I need to tell you that."

The teen didn't answer. Esther just stood there covered in blood and as stiff as a board. Her fists were clenched tight to the point her knuckles were white. Her eyes were wide in unbelieving alarm and were only for the poorly covered pale and delicious looking neck that Abel possessed.

"Esther?" inquired Abel as he took the teen by the shoulder and stared straight into her…cat-like glowing red eyes? "Esther's what's wrong? Talk to me Esther!!" He said franticly.

Taking in the terran priest, the redhead stared on rigid for fear if she moved it would be to sink her fangs in to Abel's neck. He was too close; to tasty by the mere smell of him. He smelled of something fresh and clean, but something refreshing and strong. Abel smelled and possibly tasted like a late fall rain that wouldn't let up; a storm fresh and sizzling with power. Already Esther could feel herself leaning forward in earnest before she caught herself.

"Get away from me!!" she cried lurching away. "Don't touch me Abel; don't come near me!!"

The priest stood there alarmed and slightly hurt. "Tell me what's wrong so I can help you."

"Don't you dare offer to help me!" She roared clutching both head and stomach in pain as she collapsed to her knees. "Just leave me alone…"

Abel stared mournfully down at his pained companion. Placing a hand on her quaking shoulder, he kneeled down level with Esther, even if she did cringe away. "I said I was on your side, didn't I? That's not going to change Esther, not ever, it's what friends do," he whispered.

"Thank you…Abel," Esther breathed out with a hiss of pain. "But as a friend, you must leave me or I'll rip your throat out!"

"Wha!?" gapped the Vatican man, but he was further interrupted by the sound of armor filling the hall; the Autojagers were back. "We'll finish this conversation later, let's go!" Ignoring Esther's protests, Father Nightroad leap from the cabin to the dreary, wet and grey outdoors with her in his arms.

They landed with a "humph" on the sodden ground of the lightly forested terrain. Sliding to a stop some feet from the train in a small cleared area, Abel looked over his shoulder at the tree line as the Orden members made themselves known. And there, standing along the line of trees and spread around them in a semi circle were the Autojagers. But to command them meant the Orden members were near and sure enough, stepping from the dreary forest were two uniformed figures. Abel grew furious at the sight of both.

"You!" the priest seethed with a surprising magnitude of wrath. "You're supposed to be dead Von Kampfer!!"

Isaak just gave his half grin that hinted at his sense of malice. "Like I told your companion; I've never been successfully kill…ever, not even by you Father."

Nightroad glared icy dagger while he continued to hold Esther closer, thinking her shivering was from cold and fear. "Why are you here!?"

"Come now Father Abel," smiled a blonde haired boy by the Magician's side. "The answer should be very obvious."

Abel said nothing as his glacial eyes hardened and rest on the young man. "Who are you?"

"Dietrin," the young man answered giving a mocking bow. "I'm the new Puppet Master Father Nightroad, descendent of Dietrich Von Lohengrin himself."

That got a very unpleasant rise out of the Vatican operative as he grew outraged. "You're here to kill us, aren't you." It was not a question.

"On the contrary Lord Abel, we're here to capture and bring you to Lord Cain. At his request of course," smoothly spoke Isaak as he gave a small bow. "So please, come quietly."

"Not likely," breathed the priest clutching a slightly struggling Esther.

"I wouldn't hold her so close Father," devilishly smirked the Puppet Master. "Or you might just end up with holes in your neck."

Only then did Abel Nightroad notice that Esther's shacking was more pronounced, and that she was struggling as well as clutched to him. With eyes glowing red, and fangs elongated, Esther was mere inches from his unguarded neck.

"Esther!?"

"Get away…" she crocked with strain. "Please Father…"

He didn't though; he let his eyes wander back to the enemy pair. "What did you do to her!?!"

Isaak gave a small smile as he and Dietrin walked forward, splashing through puddles and mud. "I did nothing. Dietrin however, gave the little girl a drink half full of a strong catalyst. Right about now she could be in such a state of pain and bloodlust she would feed upon anything to quench her painful thirst."

"Are you mad!?" seethed the silver haired priest. "Half a bottle would force a pure blooded Methuselah to go crazy! Let alone a ¾ Methuselah teenager!!"

Dietrin just laughed in a manic manner at Abel's words. "True enough," he said once his laughing episode ended. "But she's not crazy…yet. But with the blood and death around her, she won't last much longer. There are survivors with still beating hearts Esther, better go find one before you bit the good Father."

Esther growled and hissed from fighting her strongest instincts. She gradually drew closer to Abel's neck; eyes wide in grief and glistening with tears that went unnoticed as they blended with the rain. She was a mere inch away from forcing her fangs into the terran's jugular. She didn't want to…she would rather die then tainted someone like Abel Nightroad with her fangs.

"NOOO!!!" Esther cried as she flung herself from Abel to land on her knees some feet away. Before she could loose control, the teen pushed up her sleeve and quickly clamped her fanged maw about her wrist and arm instead of someone's throat. This act however, would only work for so long.

"Esther!" cried Abel as he leapt to his feet and went to her side. "What's wrong Esther!?" he asked worried but became more worried at the sight Esther made; her biting herself in a very painful way. "Esther?"

Ruby eyes looked up at the Father who drew back in surprise of their vivid shade. "Because," Esther whispered between her blood filled mouth and bleeding flesh. "I will not taint a friend of the holy order; I'd rather die."

"_Esther…"_ Abel said to himself as he stared down at her as he placed a hand on her shoulder. _"I wish I was as pure and holy as you portray me as."_ However the priest looked up at the RosenKreuz with a ferocity that rivaled his looks as the Crusnik. "You will pay for what you've done here Von Kampfer!"

Isaak grinned devilishly. "We shall see Lord Abel," and he snapped his pentagram gloved hand. "Go," he said with his velvet voice and both Autojager and red devils charged at the pair in the center of the semi-circle.

Abel narrowed his glacial eyes. "I have no choice," he breathed and looked painfully down at Esther to find her in a terror filled daze and finally noticing the advancing enemy. "I hope you can forgive me Esther…" Abel shakily whispered; his words only vaguely being heard by Esther, and gaining her attention.

Looking up at him, the young Methuselah teen found that Abel was both stern and pained by something. Esther gazed up at him as their attackers continued their rapid advance. She panicked further thinking that Father Abel Nightroad would just stand there and do nothing. Then the silver haired, glasses wearing clergymen murmured some words as he reached for his wire-rimmed glasses.

"Nanomachine…Crusnik 02…loading. Limitation at 40%..." Abel uttered as he removed his round glasses. "Acknowledged."

In a flash of blue light and whirlwind of air everything vanished to Esther's glowing crimson eyes. The rain seized; pain of bloodlust was evaporated by her shock, and the sounds of the on coming enemy now silent. Blinking back the dots of light blotting out her vision, the red and ebony haired girl looked about where she kneeled, to find the battle had begun without her knowledge.

Corpses were everywhere; all sliced to bits or burned beyond near recollection. And Esther was in the middle of it and covered further in blood as it streamed in rivers from the rain. Only then did everything come back; sound, smell and touch coming back with a force. Rain pelted down on her head, bloodlust came with a heart wrenching vengeance, as cries split the air.

"_Who's doing this,"_ Esther asked softly to herself as she looked around for the cause. She found out after looking at Isaak, that everyone was gazing up at the sky. So in turn the ¾ Methuselah girl raised her head to the sky and found what had captured everyone's attention. "Who…is that…?" She breathed as her wrist fell from her bloodied lips as she crawled a few feet from where the winged creature would land not two feet from her.

The creature cocooned itself in the mass of the feathered limbs, landing softly on the sodden ground without a sound. This creature's wings were made of more feathers then Esther could count. And the feathers themselves; they were jet. These wings were as deep as the sky on a moonless night; they drank up the light and vanquished it. Those large sweeping wings were of pure impenetrable shadow and so beautiful no amount of a thousand words would even come to cover it.

But when those wings unfolded did Esther see what lay beneath their mass. Never before had she seen a living being appearing so vicious and evil…or so compellingly dazzling and handsome. His very magnificence and majesty; his splendor and sureness took her breath away. When he looked at her, Esther's strength failed her as everything else left her. When those eyes the color of blood, met her sapphire ones the ground vanished beneath her. There was only him and her in the world, and his true self laid out before her.

"…Abel…"

A sad smile formed on the magenta tinted lips, pronouncing the long razor canines he now possessed. Esther could not look away for reasons unknown, but she remembered this dark and majestic creature from weeks past. She had seen a black winged angel not long after meeting the Father. Now she knew why, because that dark angel…was the Father.

"…Abel…" Esther breathed again. "You're…I-" she began, but was cut off by the pained look the priest gave her and the interrupting voice of Isaak.

"So you finally show your true colors Father Nightroad," darkly chuckled Von Kampfer. "And before little Esther as well, I do hope she is not traumatized like the last."

The now transformed priest glared daggers and gave a small ire filled hiss. "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I condemn you all to death," he said in a throaty thick voice, but still retaining that velvety sound and feel some how.

"So the priest is playing the judge, the jury and the executioner; how quaint," mocked Dietrin with his innocent boyish voice.

"You both," began Abel as he summoned his ebony scythe from his blood to appear in his hand. "Will parish here." And the giant deadly weapon was pointed at them.

"Is that so," smirked Isaak as if he knew something that the Father and Esther had forgotten. "But what about your promise Lord Abel; you don't mean to go back on your word do you?"

Abel could only glare and snarl; scarlet eyes narrowed.

Both Mechanical Magician and Puppet Master smirked sinisterly as they both raised a gloved finger at Abel and Esther. "Get them!!"

And the battle began anew, but instead of leaping upon the Crusnik and Methuselah girl, they instead raised the guns that had been strapped to their back. Quick as could be, Abel snatched up Esther and secured her in his arms before wrapping his wings around their front. The act protected Esther entirely and Abel's front, but left his back to the onslaught, and already he felt the pounding of the bullets. They did little harm to him, but they still hurt, and painfully so.

Finally risking a glance at Esther as the onslaught of bullets continued, Abel found his charge staring him square in the face with her wide azure ones.

"_Why don't you scream?" _he asked himself. _"Why don't you call me monster Esther?"_

"You're…you're…" breathed Esther as she raised a hesitant hand to touch a pale cheek; so delicately as if Abel was more fragile then wet tissue paper. "Abel…you're magnificent…"

"What?!" gapped the utterly surprised Crusnik.

Esther ran her hand through the silken halo of silver tresses. "I heard stories…rumors that the Vatican had once kept a creature of unbelievable power. I thought them only farce. I wanted to believe that there was something as unique as myself, but after a time I was too old to believe in such fairytales." The young redhead smiled softly with a far away look in her jeweled gaze. "Yet here you are…a great creature no doubt mistaken for a monster by your surprised face…just like myself…when we are nowhere near close to the beings that lurk in the darkness."

"Esther," murmured Abel as he brought the beautiful young woman closer. "You didn't call me monster…thank you," he whispered in her ear.

The teen smiled as well as blushed. "The bullets have stopped. You better put me down before the scent of your blood becomes too much for me, and you end up with a pair of fang marks in your neck." Esther said it jokingly, but pain was evident in every word uttered.

Abel smiled softly, flashing his fangs. _"Same goes for you," _he wanted to say, but held his tongue. "I'm going to place you out of harms way, and no matter what happens…don't come and help me. Do you understand Esther?"

Esther nodded remaining silent.

Nodding as well, Abel unfurled his wings and stood with his young charge in his arms clinging to him like a life-force. Ignoring Isaak and Dietrin, Abel flapped his wings, and with surprising speed flew Esther outside of the enemy semi circle with a graceful speed of his scythe, to separate the enemies in his way. Placing her down, the 40% Crusnik face his on coming enemies.

"Parish," he spoke in his rough voice and charged forward and sliced the Autojagers to ribbons in one swing.

Esther watched on transfixed. She knew Able had been hiding something and he had more power then he was letting on. It was the Crusnik he had been hiding all along, and she would never had guessed. Queen Esther the First always denied the claims and stories every time the young lookalike granddaughter had ever brought it up. Now here he was slicing and dicing against the undead Methuselah corpses, and muttering a prayer as he did it.

"Deus," Abel said as blood rained down on him by the several decapitated Autojagers. "Considero me culpa in nomine…" he continued as he split a single corpse down the middle that had snuck up behind him with a knife in hand. "…dono mihi…persessum satisfacti," he said continuing with the slaughter. "…pulveribus pulverem pulveribus fieri…" prayed on the Father as two more swings of his giant scythe laid waste to disemboweled zombies as blood showered down upon him, bleeding with the now steady drizzle. "…cineribus cineram fieri…terrae terram fieri…" Abel said as he turned his face toward Esther and an Autojager between them. He cut it in half with ease as he roared out, "AMEN!!" And Esther saw the blood on Abel's face that appeared more like bloody tears he shed rather then the blood of the slain.

No Autojagers were left after Abel's rampage. Only thing left behind were the ruby tinted puddles and dismembered bodies. Only when terran blood invaded her senses did Esther realize her situation.

Pivoting around, Esther found that she was being surrounded by wounded terran that sluggishly hobbled toward her. She was horrified that she was surrounded by the wounded of the train-wreck and they pawed at her like they were going to eat her rather then the other way around. Esther's renewed glowing ruby eyes and keen hearing honing in on the terran alive among the dead who still walked. That fact clicked in her head as she eyed the top of the train near her. Sure enough, there atop the train was Dietrin, pulling at invisible strings attached to his hands.

The sheer magnitude of the bloodlust and pain that gripped the young woman nearly made her scream as she swatted and pushed away the manipulated terran. Esther could only hope that Abel would soon be there to keep her from devouring some innocent terran.

Abel though, paid little notice to Esther's horror filled turmoil, to preoccupied with the cause of the wreckage before him. Isaak stood alone looking rather peeved by Crusnik 02's combat abilities after so long of a respite.

"Now it's your turn," tonelessly said the winged Father as he raised his double-bladed scythe to his enemy.

"On the contrary Lord Abel," softly smirked Isaak sweeping into a bow. "You should be more preoccupied with a certain little princess struggling to control her bloodlust, instead of myself."

Just as the Orden's Magician's words ended, a horror filled scream ripped through the heavy air drawing Abel's attention. His scarlet eyes found Esther being mobbed over by wounded terran, and then to the figure playing with invisible strings atop the train. The Crusnik knew instantly that Dietrin was manipulating the unconscious or dead terran to paw at Esther to get her to feed on them. Abel could hear them hoarsely whispering, "Eat me…Stop the pain Esther…You know you want it; need it…"

With a cry of outrage, Abel was flying at Dietrin; scythe raised. However, before the priest turned Crusnik could reach and kill the Puppet Master…he vanished. The strings disconnected now left the terran to collapse leaving Esther alone to sit among the fresh blood of life. With the RosenKreuz gone, Esther was priority, thought she was before the Orden members came.

Flinging himself at Esther as she screamed again, Abel ripped her away from the group of terran to be placed in his arms. He landed some ways away just inside the line of trees, the Crusnik held the teen to his chest with her back to him. Esther's quacking body unnerved Abel; he silently prayed that there wouldn't be major side effects because of the drug.

"Let go of me Father," Esther cried struggling. "Or I might end up drinking your blood!!!"

The traveling priest gave a soft smile she couldn't see, though with the fangs and purple lips making it far more haunting of an act. "Maybe you should. It's the safest way then fighting it or giving in to drink the blood of an innocent human."

Esther halted her struggling abruptly from shock, and turned her head to stare at her protector over her shoulder. "What!? Are you mad?! I couldn't; wouldn't do that to you!! Besides, we don't know how I will react to your blood!"

"You'll be fine Esther," soothed Abel to the best of his ability as he pulled up his sleeved, and removed his now stained glove. "I've had enough to eat for the evening, and my blood will no doubt quench your thirst better." He raised the offered limb to the still reluctant girl. "Go on Esther; it's alright."

With hesitant and shaky hands, Esther took hold of the warm bare arm that was offered to her. She could see and hear the delicious blood flowing through Abel's veins in his upturned wrist. She was less then an inch away now, the scent of his warm pale skin was tantalizing; mouth watering.

"At some point," she murmured huskily. "You're going to have to stop me…"

"I know…" Abel whispered softly in her ear as his other clawed hand ran soothingly through her crimson and ebony shortly cropped mane.

Without further hesitation, Esther bit harshly down. Abel's only reaction to it was a quick intake of breath through slightly opened lips. The ¾ Methuselah girl continued her feast without further hesitation as she gulped down mouthful after mouthful of rejuvenating blood. The priest struggled to keep the pleasurable moans at by, which proved difficult. Never had he been fed off of, so he never knew it to be so thrilling and enthralling. Esther as well must have found it so, because her moans were soft, but heard. Soon though, Abel's breath soon came in quick soft gasps as Esther continued on like a starved animal, and she very nearly was. Soon though Nightroad found it was time for Esther to seize said feasting.

"That's enough Esther," he breathed as he tried to withdraw his wrist. Esther wouldn't have it; she gripped harder, suckering unyieldingly causing it suddenly became painful rather then pleasurable. "Esther stop!" he yelled but still no answer or letting up. "Esther I said that was enough!!" And reduced to force, Abel pulled on her crimson crown and wrenched his wrist from her weaker grasp.

Esther was left gasping, and appearing drugged up as she leaned against the Vatican operative's strong toned chest. "…s-sorry…" she gasped out before going completely limp in exhausted unconsciousness in Father Nightroad's embrace.

The AX officer took her nearly weightless body bridle style in his arms. He wanted to smile but found the action lacking as the cause of this outcome came to his mind. Finding his charge secure in his embrace, Crusnik 02 sprang into the air, flying in the direction of the Empire. All the while he flew searching out with his ruby spheres for a place to finally rest. Because this trip just got a whole lot more complicated.

A/N: sorry this is taking so long to update (bows apologetically) but with the semester ending and Thanksgiving I didn't have as much to write; not as much as I wanted anyway. But here this chapter is, I know you have been dying to read this chapter. Hope you like it!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, or belated Thanksgiving anyway, or well

BLAZE


	11. Intertwined Bloodship I

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Last Time:**

Esther was left gasping, and appearing drugged up as she leaned against the Vatican operative's strong toned chest. "…s-sorry…" she gasped out before going completely limp in exhausted unconsciousness in Father Nightroad's embrace.

The AX officer took her nearly weightless body bridle style in his arms. He wanted to smile but found the action lacking as the cause of this outcome came to his mind. Finding his charge secure in his embrace, Crusnik 02 sprang into the air, flying in the direction of the Empire. All the while he flew searching out with his ruby spheres for a place to finally rest. Because this trip just got a whole lot more complicated.

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XI-Intertwined Bloodship I**

With an echoing groan, and the flickering of her eyelids, Esther woke to a dark world eliminated only by fire glow. Her eyes narrowed in confusion at the sight of amber glowing stone above her head.

"So you're awake finally," happily chuckled a voice from somewhere. "And here I thought I'd end up carrying you all the way to the Empire!"

Straining to turn her aching head, the young red and ebony haired girl found a glowing small bonfire near her, beyond it sat a blurry figure. Rubbing her sleep hazed eyes; Esther lifted her sore and throbbing body to a sitting position.

"Abel…that you…" Esther crocked still rubbing her eyes.

A small chuckle answered; one that sounded very familiar. "Who else would be taking care of you while you were unconscious?"

Esther blushed at that fact as she smiled up at her clergy companion. "Thank you for taking care of me Father Nightroad…" the teen blinked at the sight of the priest. At the sight her face turned the same shade of red as a ripe tomato. "A-A-Abel…where's your shirt?!"

The silver haired priest looked down at himself to find his pale muscular chest bare, then the ebony shirt lying on a rock near the fire. It was Abel's turn to turn as red as that certain vegetable. "M-My apologies M-Miss Esther!" he stammered out franticly. "But its still raining and my clothes were wet and needed to dry so…"

Esther turned her eyes away from the well toned and sculpted chest, a strong blush still on her pale cheeks. The young yet old teen found the fact that a priest could be so muscular and so attractive, could also be so damn untouchable. God wanted to torture women apparently with having his followers that gorgeous. Esther mentally groaned at the rather inappropriate thought, Abel was gong to be the death of her; there was not doubt.

"It's alright Father," she murmured looking at her lap, only to find the Father's dry overcoat lying atop her. "I…think this is yours…" she said as she held it up and out to the AX officer. When she held it up though, she found charred punctures and large ripped holes in the back of the heavy garment.

Gazing through it, Esther found a rather sheepishly grinning Father Nightroad. These were bullet holes, Esther was sure of it. And Abel was sitting there like he hadn't gotten shot at all; she hadn't even known he had gotten shot.

"These are bullet holes…" Esther stated aloud, repeating what she knew to be fact. Then she was scrambling toward Abel. "Oh my god Abel!! Are you alright!?! Where are you hurt?! Let me see!!" Esther kneeled franticly by her companion, a hand on his bare shoulder, the other hovering over his pale back. "But…" she trailed, eyes wide and staring. "You're…you're not hurt…"

Abel grinned at her from over his shoulder. "No, I'm not. Guns don't do a lot to me."

Esther's staring continued at the unblemished skin; not a single mark marred the pale flesh of the priest's back. She ran a hand down a shoulder blade struggling to make sure that her eyes were in fact not deceiving her. She couldn't believe it even as she stared at the evidence laid out before her, but it was very true. Esther only noticed what she was really doing and who she was touching when the skin beneath her hands shivered.

Jerking her hands back as if she had been burned, Esther looked up at her companion with a glow to her cheeks. "…sorry…"

Abel smiled as he turned toward her more. "That's alright Miss Esther; your hands are just a little cold."

"That all," she grinned. "That's easily fixed." And spinning around on the cave's floor, Esther sat and held her hands out to the fire. "There, all fixed," she said still staring into the amber flames.

As she stared, more and more did those tongues of flames resemble wings; spread and unfurled. Esther just continued to stare transfixed into fire as she struggled to not think of the Crusnik. However, it was particularly difficult and extremely unfruitful. In silence Esther could not stop thinking of the rumored creature when said man sat right next to her, his eyes burrowing holes in the top of her head. It was uncomfortable and made her task all the more difficult.

"You have a lot of questions Esther, you might as well ask."

Esther spun her head to face Abel, crimson mane flailing. "You…" she started but trailed lowering her eyes hesitantly. "I wasn't sure if you were comfortable with answering my questions, so I didn't ask. But if you'll let me, I do have some questions."

A chuckle came from the glasses wearing Father and Esther finally looked back up at him to see his wrinkle-eyed grin. "Ask away Esther, you're allowed; I owe you a lot. Just be aware that I might not be able to answer all your questions for multiple reasons."

The ¾ Methuselah teen nodded and stared into the flames once more to ponder her first question. It didn't really take long for an inquiry to arise, and Esther finally looked up at her friend. "Umm…" she hesitated as her cheeks glowed pink. "How…how old are you Father Nightroad?"

Abel chuckled at Esther's surprising shyness; she never did come off as a shy girl. "Well…to be honest…I kinda forgot how old I am," he said with a nervous chuckle while scratching the back of his head. Esther gave him a confused look; ruby brow raised. "All I can say is…that I was around before the birth of the Empire, and haven't aged much since. So I'd be around 900 years old, but now I'm sure it's a 1,000 or so."

"You're that old?!! You don't look a day over 25; at the most!"

Abel just chuckled again a glow to his pale face that didn't come from the fire.

Esther looked at the ground, she was barely pushing 100, and she didn't even look her age. When she ever said she was eighteen (in terran years), people looked at her like she was joking. Did she really look that young? Guess that was something Abel and her had in common.

"So what do you eat…I mean…do you need something special…" she trailed, thinking the inquiry a very stupid question, but unable to keep it from spilling from her mouth.

The smile on the priest's face faltered, but soon came back stronger. That fact didn't go unnoticed by an ever observant Esther though, but she did let it go. "That's something I'd rather not talk about," he said softly with a smile.

The teen nodded in understanding as she continued on. "This really isn't a question, more of a compliment. But your scythe and wing are remarkable and very beautiful."

"Thank you…" he answered sounding surprised and uncertain.

Esther gave Abel her most warming smile to reassure him. "You're welcome. But where does that lightning come from? Do you conjure it out of nowhere or create it?"

"It comes from my wings actually. I can create the lightning and manipulate it at will."

The redhead made and "O" face, but it soon become somber and hesitant again.

"Something wrong Esther?" he asked worried at the sudden change in his young companion.

Nibbling and abusing her lower lip, the ten hesitated further to ask her question; her more serious questions. So engrossed in thought Esther never noticed herself biting down on her lip till she tasted blood. Now sucking on it, the redhead looked back up at a confused Abel Nightroad.

"I'm alright," but the smile she gave never reached her eyes and was very fake to Abel's eyes.

"You sure Esther? You looked very serious there for a moment."

The teen nodded her head, letting her sapphire eyes fall to the fire. "I thought of question, but it would be too personal, and I know you wouldn't answer it. So I won't ask." The young woman smiled fondly up at the clergymen. _"I couldn't ask him that,"_ she thought.

So dispelling the unwanted inquires, Esther kicked up meaningless chatter. She used this opportunity to get to know Abel Nightroad as a person, not the legend. Esther asked what some of his favorite things were; they consisted of tea with 13 cubes of sugar, food in general, favorite color was blue. Then there was his dislike of the number four; his unlucky number apparently. Abel even spoke of his old AX members and friends without a hint of grief. All the while the Methuselah girl and priest smiled exchanging stories of happiness long past.

The evening continued on in the same fashion; the endless rain still pouring down in heavy sheets.

Esther gazed out at it as she stood at the cave's mouth. "It's really coming down. It's been at if for a day or so now; we can't wait much longer."

Abel came to stand by her side, adorning his overcoat against the chill he didn't feel. "There's nothing we can do about it so you might as well go rest Miss Esther, I'll be there shortly."

Shrugging, the blue eyed teen turned back to the fire lit cave and curled up on the dirt floor already cleared of jagged rock. With the sheer down pour continuing, it lulled the young Methuselah girl to sleep in no time. Leaving Abel to watch Esther's slow and deep breathing that combined with the sound of rain.

Taking his place by the slumbering girl-child, Abel sat and leaned against the caves wall. He sighed; things would become more difficult in the future. Without her pills Esther would have to relay on local wildlife to survive. However, she could not live off of animals indefinitely; Esther needed terran blood to do that.

Looking to his wrist Abel sighed again. _"My blood is no better,"_ he said to himself so not to wake the young lady.

Though the Nanomachines wouldn't kill her, there would or could be deadly side affects. Abel couldn't risk it, yet the redhead could get sick off of animal blood just as well. Esther was not in a good situation, either way she risked her health.

Then there was Abel himself. He had fed on the blood of the Auto-Jagers; as disgusting as it was. With that blood he would be able to last a week, at best. And all the while his food source was sleeping and walking right at his side. Tormenting, and mocking him as her replenishing life source beat in her body to be heard constantly by him.

"_God is being cruel,"_ he thought as he threw more wood on the fire before leaning back against the wall of their shelter. _"O Lord, give me the strength I need,"_ was Abel's final thought before sleep came up to claim him.

- - -

A thunderous crack shook the air, to be simultaneously followed by a blood curdling scream of terror. These were the sounds that tore Abel from his restful slumber.

Jerking forward, eyes blinking form the constant flashing of lighting and the roaring thunder, Abel searched for the source of the screaming. And he found it, kneeling with her arms wrapped securely around her like a security blanket. Leaning so far forward that her brow nearly touched the dirt, was Esther; sapphire orbs squeezed shut in what looked to be pain. Her whimpers rang in Abel's ears as the light show outside continued. The silver haired Father didn't know what to do till Esther clamped her hands over her ears in a desperate attempt to drown out something as she screamed again.

"Esther!" he cried out and took the screaming girl into his arms. "What's wrong Esther?! Come on, talk to me!!"

Her screams settled to loud whimpers and moans, but through clenched fangs she didn't answer. Soon though, those cerulean pools looked up at him, but they were unseeing, wide in a fearful craze. Esther stared up at Abel, not seeing him as she spoke so softly, that if he didn't have his keen hearing he'd never had heard her speak through the rolling thunder and crashing rain.

"The explosions…like constant rolling thunder shacking walls, floors and shattering windows. Fire was everywhere making breathing difficult…blood was all over, flowing like rivers. Everyone was screaming for help or screaming with pain; running ground frantic. Oh God…the very air seemed to chill and become thick with fear at the name…RosenKreuz they screamed…RosenKreuz…"

The traveling priest stared on in shock, just as shaken as the girl he held. The thunder storm was causing Esther to relive the night Albion fell to the Orden.

"I ran…" Esther wheezed out as she clutched to Abel's robes. "…I ran crying for mother…grandmother….anyone that cared. But they were dead…lying dead as he stood over their broken bodies laughing…" crocked the distraught teen into the priest's robes. "…I hear him now…his laughter haunting me ever minute of every day…"

Esther's sobs and cries grew louder as she tossed her head. This was quickly becoming more then Abel could handle. The once strong and determined girl was falling apart right in front of him and it was beyond agonizing. He tried yelling her name and shacking her slightly to bring her out of it, but nothing worked. Her nightmare only continued on, becoming his own.

"…stop it…" she sobbed out into Abel's chest so brokenly it was heart wrenching. "…stop it…stop it…stop it Von Kampfer!"

So it was Von Kampfer that shattered his little Esther's world in a single night. The manic magician made Esther into who she was today. Broken and fragile, untrusting, hollow, but making her stronger for the even harsher future.

Hugging her closer as she sobbed, Abel then let her go to hold the pale tear streaked face in his gloved hands. "Esther…" he whispered with as much as emotion as he could; her whimpers quieted, it was working. "I'm on your side; remember…I'm here for you…"

Those softly spoken reassuring words got the desired reaction. The whimpers slowly came to a halt, as the sapphire pools Abel stared into blinked to fully take him in. Esther gave him such a broken look as her brows furrowed, tears sparkling in her eyes anew he nearly cried. There was so much in her eyes that Abel saw as she stared so openly up at him. Every barrier she had built had grumbled to his feet revealing a very distraught, broken and burdened young woman. To the very old man, he could not think of such a beautiful yet saddening sight, and it was he who held it in his unworthy hands.

"You're alright Esther; you're safe," he whispered again softly still peering into the jeweled spheres. "…I won't let Von Kampfer hurt you again….I promise you that."

Esther squinted further struggling not to cry, but she did any way. "Abel," she sobbed and clung to him anew, burying her face in his warm and strong chest wetting it with her salty tears.

"Shh..." he cued, but clapping thunder shook the sky and the girl the Crusnik held cringed, gripping his robes till her knuckles were white. "It's alright Esther…I'm here…" he soothed. "You're safe; I got you."

And through the rest of the night, Abel Nightroad continued to soothe and comfort Esther till she fell back into slumber. He too was soon to follow the mixed breed girl into the rejuvenating act of sleep; never letting go of his treasured prize.

- - -

Slowly rising from the world of dreams, the traveling Father woke to a bright and glistening world. The brightness caused Abel to blink excessively to banish the white dots from his vision. However, once done, he found the forest foliage glistening as if nature had decorated itself with thousands of diamonds; casting rainbows on everything. It was a breathtaking sight in a world stricken with war and suffering.

"Esther…" Abel said. "Look outside; it's beautiful."

No answer was forthcoming.

Turning his head about, Abel Nightroad found that he was alone in the cave that had been their shelter for the night. The young red and ebony haired Methuselah girl was nowhere to be seen; she wasn't in his lap where she had fallen back asleep, nor on the ground as if she had moved herself. No, Esther was nowhere to be seen. There was only the priest and the still smoldering fire pit.

"Esther?!" Abel cried out as he sprang to his feet and bolted out of the cave. "Esther!! ESSSSTHEEEEER!!!" Abel screamed again to the surrounding forest, forcing birds from their branches, and grazing animals to bolt in a flurry of leaves and dancing rainbows.

"Jeez Abel, don't wake the whole forest," exclaimed a voice playfully.

Spinning about so fast that his silver ponytail whipped him in the face, Abel gazed up and behind him. The morning sun glared into his eyes, forcing the AX member to hold up a hand to block out the morning sun and address the silhouette standing atop the small cliff the cave resided in.

"You disappeared on me Esther! I was worried sick about you! I thought you were kidnapped; so waking the forest was the least of my worries!!"

Esther was taken back by Abel's sharp clipped tone, but chuckled none the less. Stepping off the cliff to plummet to the ground, the redhead landed gracefully bent down on a knee. Standing gracefully with bags in all, she gave the legendary priest a warm smile.

"Good morning Father Nightroad; got you breakfast," and from one bag she pulled two apples.

Abel gawked, drooling at the mouth at the pieces of fruit; his stomach growled its joy at the sight. "Oh Esther, you're a miracle worker! Where did you get these!?"

The smiling face fell to a solemn frown, as sapphire pools dodged arctic ones.

"Esther?" questioned Abel concerned.

She sighed unshouldering several other bags. "Where do you think Father…the wreckage of course."

Abel stiffened instantly, staring seriously down at the young woman as he came to stand over her. "That was dangerous Esther; the Orden could still be around…tracking us. That was stupid and reckless of you."

The redhead flinched at the hard tone Abel used. It had been a while since she had been reprimanded, and a scarily stern priest didn't make it better; she sighed. "I'm sorry; I know it was stupid, but we needed supplies! I needed to see if I could find my pills; if I could find those it would make this trip easier and less threatening. It was well worth the risk," she stated sternly, defending herself.

"I greatly disagree. You could have woken me so I could've gone with you as protection; that would have made the venture better."

Esther growled in her throat, forcing herself to keep eye contact with that icy narrowed stare. "Fine, see if I get you food again, and maybe I won't mend you robes while I'm at it," she huffed trying to make the argument less tense.

Abel didn't fall for it, his glacial eyes narrowed making Esther flinch and taking a step back as she dodged his eyes. "It's not a joking matter Esther. **IF **you had been seen, let alone caught, everything would have been lost. I understand you're reasoning, but you still should have told me! I'm trying to help you Esther, so trust me!"

Giving a small nod, Esther stared at the ground. Abel spoke true, if they got into trouble with RosenKreuz, it was Abel who would get them out of it. She had no right not to tell him, even if he did look so adorable sleeping that she hated to wake him up.

Still staring at her booted feet, the teen didn't notice the priest move till, a sudden hand landed on her head starting her out of her muses. Esther's looked up to find a warmly smiling Father Nightroad.

"Please, tell me next time you wander off. I may not stop worrying, but it would help Esther."

"I'm sorry," she whispered and held up the two apples like a token of her apology. "Here's your breakfast."

He took them with a smile, but not before that gloved hand skimmed through silky crimson tresses. "Thank you Esther, but don't you want any."

Stepping back the teen forced a smile. "I'm fine; I've already had breakfast."

Abel silently cursed Esther's and his bad luck. By her stating that she had gotten breakfast, told the traveling Vatican operative that the blood pills were lost; whether unfound or destroyed. This left the young ¾ Methuselah girl to hunt the wildlife and no doubt become sick. He was no better off though, sooner or later he would need nourishment, and who else to feed on but the closest Methuselah possible. And Esther just so happened to be mostly Methuselah. This once simple and slightly unthreatening journey was steadily going from bad to worse.

"_O Lord…help me…" _

A/N: OH MY GOD!! I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING BEFORE THIS!! Things led to another and I had less and less time to update, and I was hoping to scramble out several chapters. Talk about a loud of crap; I'm such a lousy author. But here's this chapter and we finally get to hear what happened in little snippets, there however, is much more you all don't know (evil grin) BWAHAHAHAH!!!

Don't forget to review; and you are allowed to bit my head off for the very late update.

**BLAZE**


	12. Intertwined Bloodship II

Disclaimer: I own all of Trinity Blood…not (pout)

**Last Time:**

Stepping back the teen forced a smile. "I'm fine; I've already had breakfast."

Abel silently cursed Esther's and his bad luck. By her stating that she had gotten breakfast, told the traveling Vatican operative that the blood pills were lost; whether unfound or destroyed. This left the young ¾ Methuselah girl to hunt the wildlife and no doubt become sick. He was no better off though, sooner or later he would need nourishment, and who else to feed on but the closest Methuselah possible. And Esther just so happened to be mostly Methuselah. This once simple and slightly unthreatening journey was steadily going from bad to worse.

"_O Lord…help me…"_

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XII – Intertwined Bloodship II**

They traveled through the morning with no sign of trouble. It was calm and beautiful as Abel and Esther hiked through the forest. The rain had long past, leaving the world in a fresh, rejuvenated stated, as well as being soft and mushy; mud galore. However, as gorgeous as it was, not everything was rainbows and sunshine after the raging storm. Esther and Abel came to that realization as they stopped around noon at an irregular bank of a heavily flooded river.

Abel frowned at the dirty, debris ridden river. "Well…" he murmured. "…we did assume it would be flooded…"

"I expected it to be…" answered the teen softly. "But no this much; how much rain did we get?"

"Apparently too much," chuckled the priest.

Abel had expected the young redhead to chuckle along with him, but she never did. Looking at his side, the traveling Vatican priest found his companion pale, grimacing in pain with a hand clutching at her stomach. It was clearly obvious that Esther was in pain, and the Father knew exactly what from. Abel knew Esther had been constantly denying and hiding it since mid-morning, but now it was becoming too much to bear in silence. He may have needed glasses, but Abel Nightroad was not blind to the fact that Esther was in pain from animal blood.

"Esther?" he asked concerned turning fully to her.

She looked up at her him and saw his troubled eyes, so she forced a smile. "I'm alright Father; I just need to go hunting is all. Please, stay here till I come back; it should only take an hour…" and spinning away, Esther bolted into the thick foliage.

Abel assumed she didn't want to become sick in front of him, so she chose to vanish. However, she didn't get as far as she wished when her breakfast decided to come back for round two just in reverse. Because Abel heard her gagging and gasping to instantly followed after his mixed breed friend. And he did find her. Hunched over on her knees, with a hand braced on the tree next to her while the other dug into the soft and dampened earth. Esther had no hope of holding down what her body could, and would not take.

Kneeling down at her side, holding her red and ebony hair back as her breakfast came back up, Abel gave her what comfort he could. The episode was soon over leaving Esther exhausted and gasping for breath. With no strength left, the young woman began to fall to her side. Her guardian angel however, caught her before she met the damp earth.

"Esther!?"

She smiled softly up at him. "Thanks…" she whispered, to weak to do much else then speak softly. "Stupid doe didn't agree with me."

The Father mentally gagged at the information. "Wasn't there something else? Deer aren't exactly the best thing," he said as he helped the young woman to her wobbly feet.

"It was the only thing I could find. Besides, it crossed my path, I wasn't going to complain."

Abel sighed as he draped Esther's arm over his shoulders and neck as he dropped the subject of food. "How are you feeling now? Do you think you could keep some normal food down, or do you need blood?"

Esther grimaced as she teetered on with Abel's help. "I'll eat a little fruit or something. I got what I mostly needed from the deer blood. It's just what my body can't take that decides to expel itself."

Abel grew worried from that fact; it meant Esther would be coughing up her meals every few hours. Finally reaching where their few bags were, the priest settled the ¾ Methuselah girl on a patch of dry ground. Before Esther could protest, the silver haired Father stuffed an apple in her hand.

"Eat that and no buts."

Knowing that stern tone he used Esther gave a tired smile and bit into the ruby fruit exposing the snowy inside. Her sapphire eyes wandered to the speedy river a good feet from her as she chewed. "How are we going to get over this? The current is too strong; maybe there's a bridge nearby?"

"Searching for one will take up too much time. Time we don't have," stated the rather serious priest standing at Esther's side, his eyes on the river as well.

She nodded. "That's true. Can't swim, and a bridge is unlikely…a boat then?"

"We'd have to find a town then. And again too much time, and I doubt a ferrymen would willingly take us out on the river as it is," he answered smirking down at the put out teen.

Esther scowled at her stupid question. "Right…but what else is there?!"

"Just leave that to me Miss Esther."

Confused, the redhead looked up at her clergy companion and took in his smiling and eye wrinkled face. Like a light bulb turning on, it clicked in Esther's head. Nodding in understanding she kept silent and bit more into her fruit. The easy silence was filled only with the sound of the frothy brown water roaring by. Abel though, stared down at Esther in a state of distress, even if Esther could ignore the fact, he sure couldn't. Worse was yet to come for the young burden child, and he was powerless to stop it.

Sighing softly, Abel finally spoke. "Are you almost done Esther?"

Esther looked up and threw the apple core into the hustling river. "I am now," she said standing with now steady graceful limbs. Turning to the father with a smile, she was glad to see one in return, even if it was strained. "Do you want me to carry the bags?"

Nodding, Abel was too nervous to speak so stuck with silence. Never had he transformed for anything but combat, and though Esther proved accepting of what he was, there was still uncertainty. The chance that this different Esther was too far in thirst and exhaustion to really comprehend what was happening or what Abel Nightroad really was still there. The silver haired priest remembered to well the last time a redhead with pure blue eyes had said upon seeing his Crusnik form. That wound would never heal.

"Father?" broke through a soft concerned voice.

Broken from his silent rather dark muses, Abel found the young redhead staring at him in a troubled manner. "Yes Miss Esther?" he asked with a smile

She was not fooled by that lying smile. "If you don't want to Father Nightroad, you don't have to. We can find another way over."

As much as it heartened him to hear those words, Abel knew differently. There was no getting over this river quickly other then flying over. So giving a genuine smile he shook his head. He knew that Esther knew just as well as he did that there was no other way getting over. She was very kind in not wanting to force him into anything.

"It's alright Esther, it's no trouble," he said stepping back to give him more room.

Esther nodded slightly. "Do you want me to turn my back? I can if it makes you feel better."

Father Abel chuckled softly at that. "No, that's quite alright. But could you hold my glasses and gloves for me Miss Esther?"

"Certainly," she chimed and strode forward to take the specs and gloves in hand before stepping back again.

The small statured teen never let her eyes stray from the Vatican operative. Esther's sapphire pools were glued to the strange and fascinating man before her. She watched as Abel muttered something with eyes half lidded and gazing down at the ground. Felt the sudden wind build around her and the Father, but her eyes still did not waver or blink. She took in how the priest robes bellowed about him as the ebony ribbon holding his hair came undone. Silver tresses flowed upward to stay there like a silver halo; glistening in the sun like newly fallen snow. The sound of shredding cloth filled the air, and from Abel's shoulder blades came forth wings of flawless obsidian. In a state of silent awe, Esther could only stare wide eyed as the dark angel looked up at her. Replacing the glacial orbs were now pools of glowing ruby. He was gorgeous, majestic, otherworldly and so, so much more. The image the Father presented was an image a thousand words couldn't put to justice. An angel had fallen from the Heavens to be her guardian and friend, Esther couldn't feel any luckier.

"Esther…" spoke the Crusnik in his raspier voice. "You're staring."

Caught in the act of ogling, Esther quickly directed her eyes to the ground. "Sorry," she muttered as she adjusted the straps of the packs, desperately hoping that Abel couldn't see her tomato red face.

Abel stepped forward to gaze down at the young woman with his scarlet demonic eyes. "Ready?"

The mix blooded teen looked up, straight into the Crusnik eyes and…smiled. A true genuine lifting of the corners of her rosy lips in an act that shined like the sun. The small pink glow in Esther's cheeks only adding to the radiating shine she gave off. The priest was dazzled by the sincerity Esther gave off; reminding Abel solemnly of someone else. He just gazed enthralled at the young, strange ebony banged woman in a trance; ignoring the fact that she smelled beyond delicious.

Esther coughed into her hand to gain the AX officer's attention. "You're staring Abel, is going to make me blush."

Cat like eyes of scarlet widened at being caught in the act of gawking, and the Crusnik dodged the mirth filled eyes. But not before Abel took note that the young girl was in fact already blushing.

"I'm ready Father Nightroad, are you?" asked Esther as she raised a pale hand for the majestic creature to take.

Crusnik 02 looked at the offered hand and smile, but he found the act odd with fangs now perturbing from his mouth. "I am," he answered and bypassing the out stretched limb, bent at the knees as he curled an arm around behind Esther's knees and waist. At the sudden action Esther let out an eep of surprise and gazed up bewildered from where she was cradled in the Crusnik's arms. "Hold tight," he said before expanding his wings.

Abel heard his charge's sudden intake of breath. It was fairly clear that Esther was admiring the feathered appendages she found so fascinating. Bending at the knees, and beating his immense wings once, Abel propelled them both over the flooded river. And once over the river the Father felt the young Methuselah woman clutch to his collar and robes as he continued over the mudded water.

Glancing down, Abel found Esther's azure orbs traveling between him, his wings and the speeding waters below. She was anxious, that much was obvious, but the traveling priest really didn't know what for, but he could assume.

"Esther, I won't drop you."

She set her eyes on her companion's face and forced a smile, her fists clutched his robes till knuckles were white. "I know…it's just…I can't swim very well…" she murmured anxiously drawing herself as close to Abel as possible.

Abel couldn't help but smile at the childish antics, but held his charge tighter in reassurance. The flight was quick and effortless, didn't take more then half a minute. So setting down softly on the opposite bank, Abel releases his grip on Esther's legs as he lowered her down to stand on her own. Relinquishing his hold all together, Nightroad stepped away while Esther regained her bearings, so he could deactivate the Nanomachines without being watched. He just returned to his priestly form when Esther turned to him.

She smiled as her blue irises traveled over the Father's uncovered face. He looked handsome without his glasses, different but handsome. "Thank you Father Nightroad, here's your glasses and gloves.

"Thank you." Taking them and pulling them on, Abel took the round rimmed glasses from Esther's hand. Pushing the specs up his slim nose, the clergymen found Esther staring again. "Yes Esther?"

"O-" she began blushing fro the fact of being caught, again. "Umm…I was just thinking…about how nice you look without glasses…and your hair down…"

Abel gapped at the ¾ Methuselah teen whose face was half hidden behind her ebony bangs. "You…you think I look nice?!"

She nodded curtly. "Handsome even," she answered quietly and quickly before turning on her heel and heading further into the forest.

Abel was resorted to just staring after her in surprise as he tied his hair back again. Her words confused yet comforted him in some odd way. Esther though, didn't even check to see if he had followed, just kept walking on.

"Eeeestheeer," whined Abel as he sped up after his companion, jumping and tripping over fallen trees and foliage lining the forest floor. "Esther, slow down!"

The teen instead stopped entirely, turning her face to the right to sniff the air.

The act did not go unnoticed by Abel and his face went instantly serious. "Something wrong?"

Sniffing a few more times, she turned to the AX member. "Nothings wrong, just some prey making too much noise for me to ignore."

He frowned. "You going hunting then?"

Esther shrugged nonchalantly sniffing a few more times. "Waste not, want not. Isn't that the saying?"

"That is the saying, but **you** get sick eventually. You should span out your intake of blood as long as you can."

Esther turned to face her clergy companion and saw the serious expression that looked so odd on the normally goofy priest's face. "Come on then," she sighed turning away and surpassing the craving for blood that had nothing to do with the forest wild life.

Together in easy silence they pressed forward. Through the rest of the afternoon, Abel and Esther trudged through the forest. The redhead seemed to know where she was going, while the priest having the worst sense of direction, did not. Everything went by in a green haze of constant trees and shrubbery. The sun's slow decent from its highest point was barely noticeable through the thick forest canopy. Hours seemed to have gone by in minutes as the silence of the two individuals continued. It was only becoming dark when Abel finally spoke.

"Esther? Shouldn't we stop for the night?"

The young mix-breed girl turned to face the clergymen blinking as if forced from an intense line of thought. As Abel's words clicked, Esther eyed the sky beyond the swaying branches of the canopy to see the horizon burn like fire.

"I guess you're right Father, it will be getting dark soon." She looked around at the ground as if trying to find something. "This place is as good and as any I guess; we'll camp here."

Abel sighed in relief. He didn't want to go any further let alone take a single step, but he did take some to get to a fallen tree he could use as his bench. "Good to hear," he breathed plopping down himself down.

He watched his ever active friend stomp stray plants, and throwing rocks and stick aside. Esther halted to stop and stare at the center of their little makeshift camp. She just stood there staring down at the dirt ground as if picturing something Abel could not.

"Esther…" he sighed confused. "…what are you doing?"

Azure pools turned to stare into Abel's glacial colored eyes. "I'm going to build a fire. We need warmth, and you need more then just fruit to live on, so I'm risking a fire. It's highly unlikely that there's anyone out here this far that would notice us."

Abel started at the mention of something other then fruit. "You're going hunting Esther? To get me food?"

"Course," she chimed with a fang filled smile. "You need meat Father Nightroad, and I need blood and terran food. It's killing two birds with one stone. So I'll build up the fire, and while I'm off hunting you can feed it; so go get some wood."

The priest groaned dropping his silver crowned head, giving a profound sigh. "But Esther…I'm tired and my feet hurt. Can't we rest for a little bit?" pouted Abel, tears in his wintery orbs.

Esther scowled at the cutely pouting Father. No matter how much she wanted to say she didn't care, she in fact did and couldn't stop how her anger melted away at Abel's antics. He was simply too adorable to say no to; Caterina really had to have been an Iron Lady to say no to that face. Or maybe she was going soft.

"Fine," she sighed giving a soft smile. "I'll get the firewood and build the pit."

"Huh?" exclaimed Abel as his head shot up just in time to see Esther stepping into the bushes. "Wait…Esther! I didn't mean it…" But it was too late, she was already gone before he could further protest and explain himself. He wanted them both to rest. "…I was only kidding…" he whined to no one before sitting to work of making use of himself.

It wasn't long before the redhead waltzed through the camp's natural barrier with an arm loud of kindling. Upon hearing her entrance and seeing her, Abel was on his feet and taking the firewood from Esther's arms.

She blinked up at him in confusion. "Abel…I though you were tired?"

He only smiled before putting the firewood by the small pit he had just finished digging. "I'll build the fire; you go find us something to eat Miss Esther."

Esther's blinking continued, but she slowly nodded as she turned back to the darkening forest. Abel watched her go as the glow of the sparks from his flint illuminated the ruby mane. He continued to build the campfire and feeding the flames. He expected Esther to be gone for a while, but when he heard the undergrowth rustling after 45 minutes, he was much surprised to see it was Esther. In her right fist she held two plump rabbits by their ears.

"I was hunting for deer, but…" she gave an apologetic smile. "Hope you don't mind rabbit, there wasn't much else around."

"That's just fine; deer would have been a bit much to eat anyway."

Esther gave a thankful grin before kneeling by the campfire with the rabbits. Pulling a hunting knife from her boot, she noticed Abel's surprise at the sight of said weapon. She further shocked the priest by the sight of her knowing how to skin and gut wild game.

The traveling priest gulped not from the preparing of the meal, but the fact Esther did it so nonchalantly; unheard of for a young lady. "Y-you seem…to have done this before…Esther."

The Methuselah girl grinned devilishly as she chopped the head off the deceased creature, and snickered at the panicked priest. "I've lived on my own for a long time, so I know how to survive. Haunting and preparing an animal was among the first lessons I learned; nothing difficult."

Abel only nodded as silence filled the gap between them. There was only the crackle of the fire, and the constant buzz of crickets and other insects that filled the night. Night had finally fallen sending the world into slumber, leaving the priest and the mix-breed girl in darkness with nothing but fire glow.

Half paying attention to what Esther was doing, Abel was surprised the rabbits didn't bleed as much as he expected. Then again the answer wasn't long in coming, it was as clear as the shade of Esther's ruby lips. Because it was those animal's blood that gave those lips that beautiful healthy hue. Abel let it go though; it wasn't his place to say anything on the matter.

Silence continued as Esther cooked and in stillness Abel sat watching. The quiet continued on as the odd pair ate their dinner, and through it as well. Neither of them said a single word till they were settling down for sleep.

"I'll take watch Father, so sleep well," murmured the teen as she drew her knees up and curled her arms around them, her eyes of pure sapphire never leaving the fire's dancing tongues of flame.

Able rose to an elbow on the blanket he rested on. "Are you sure Esther? You might as well sleep as well, we both need it."

She grinned angelically, seeing through the swirling flames to Abel. "I'll sleep in a bit, but you should go to sleep now. I'll be fine Abel."

Without further complete, knowing it was pointless and fruitless, the weary traveling priest settle down for the night. Abel could only hope that they made it to a town or city soon. Already he felt the urge for blood coming; to sink his fangs into the fragile flesh of the girl across the fire. Everything in this scenario was worse for Esther. Those unpleasant thoughts plagued Nightroad's mind as he slipped into slumber giving him dreams filled with blood and death.

But they were calmed and soon vanquished by a single softly singing voice.

_Higher and higher in the light_

_My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with_

_My broken wings how far should I go drifting in the wind_

_Across the sky, just keep on flying_

_What's falling from the sky…is not rain_

**A/N:** Hello my readers, apologies for the longer wait, but still shorter then the last (guilty grin) hope u enjoyed this chapter; I know it didn't go anywhere but we need some Abel Esther bonding. Keep watching for the next update, there's some surprises coming up, so keep ur eyes open. So till next time!

BLAZE out

PUSH THE REVIEW BUTTON DOWN THERE, OR I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN!! XD


	13. City of the Lost Star

Disclaimer: if I owned Trinity Blood I wouldn't be writing this now would I?

**Last Time:**

Abel could only hope that they made it to a town or city soon. Already he felt the urge for blood coming; to sink his fangs into the fragile flesh of the girl across the fire. Everything in this scenario was worse for Esther. Those unpleasant thoughts plagued Nightroad's mind as he slipped into slumber giving him dreams filled with blood and death.

But they were calmed and soon vanquished by a single softly singing voice.

_Higher and higher in the light_

_My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with_

_My broken wings how far should I go drifting in the wind_

_Across the sky, just keep on flying_

_What's falling from the sky…is not rain_

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XIII- City of the Lost Star**

The days continued on in a seemingly endless manner. They would wake, eat what they could and Abel and Esther would walk the day away. But every day, every time around her mealtime the young mix breed girl would vomit up what ever was in her stomach in a sea of animal blood. Then she would go off again to haunt, leaving Abel to continue on. This ensued for three days; the stressful circle. Abel became steadily sicklier as he fought the urge to snick his fangs into Esther's neck. He just followed silently in whatever direction his companion was going.

However, on the evening of the third day, when they would normally settle down and put up camp, they did not. The traveling priest was curious as he watched Esther brush aside some bushes to reveal a road.

"Excellent," she murmured giving a tired smile.

Abel raised a brow in question. "Why so excited to see a road Esther? I thought we were dodging roads?"

The teen nodded as she walked onto the road. "We are, but we'll be in a city soon, so there's no point. Besides, RosenKreuz won't even think to look for us here." And she pointed down the stone road to a glowing, lively city.

Abel saw and gapped at how bright the city showed in the fading twilight, stars just beginning to twinkle to life above it. "And where is here exactly?"

"You'll see," Esther said slyly as she led the way to the city unknown to the priest.

Upon reaching the cities main gates, Abel expected to be hindered by guards or some such since that was a precaution in this time, but there were none. He and Esther just waltzed right in on foot and into the surprisingly busy city.

People were everywhere; roaming the streets that were alight with the colorful glow of store signs, colored street laps and even more colorful array of lanterns. Citizens of the city were dressed up in elaborate costumes and masks, at least that's what Abel assumed by appearance. Seeing people dressed like that for every day would be very interesting to see. But was it a holiday or something? The hapless Father couldn't remember. He was going to ask Esther, but he was separated by a sudden surge of people.

"Esther!" he called over the crowd. "Esther, wait!!"

Abel didn't know if the keen hearing of the ¾ Methuselah girl picked up on his panicked calls. Still caught up and fighting the crowd, Abel felt a small hand grab his and yank almost painfully. Pulled from the horde of bustling people, Nightroad found Esther gripping his gloved hand tugging him on.

She smiled apologetically as she led the way. "Sorry Father Nightroad, I didn't know the Festival would be going on; lost track of my dates."

"It's alright Esther," he said with a smile of his own.

Together they continued through the slowly decreasing crowd. Esther weaved her way further into the city that gradually became more familiar but still Abel could not place it. The redhead knew where she was going, but Abel sure didn't. He was curious on where she was leading him, and was pondering if he should interrogate her till she gave an answer, when she went around a corner and halted.

"We're here," she whispered softly.

The priest followed her gaze to find that they had entered a small square surrounded by buildings. In the direction they were facing, a vocal point of the square was a very familiar church. Tall and majestic, an image of a time long past, it was the tallest building in the area with its sharp steeples complete with gothic crosses atop them. Yet it was odd seeing this building, even odder yet were the charred stone remnants of the previous church the current house of God was built on.

Glacial eyes widened in realization. "This is…"

"Yes," finished Esther as she strode to the church's front door fiddling with her collar as she took the stairs. "This is the Saint Mathias Church, built on the ashes of the previous St. Mathias. Welcome Father," she said as she spun to face a flabbergasted Abel. "To Istvan…the Pearl of the Donau'."

Nightroad could only stare in surprise. This lively, beautiful city was once the gloomy, barren place once ruled by a misguided tyrant. It was unbelievable; he came to this dying city to stop the star that Gyula possessed, to meet the young fiery Esther Blanchett; later to be known as the Star of Istvan. He had watched the church burn and the betrayal of Dietrich to lead to the rise of the RosenKreuz. This city began that journey, now he returned again, coming full circle. Yet, he had accomplished nothing since then, but loose close friends to age and death.

Glacial eyes took in the church and the red and ebony haired girl before it. "I never thought I'd see this place again…" Abel murmured as he climbed the stairs to come to a stop at Esther's stationary side. "It's changed so much."

The teen smiled softly as she nodded. "Before she was Queen, as well as you know, Sister Esther Blanchett was the Lady Saint of this City. When Her Majesty became Queen of Albion, Esther the First formed a treaty with the current Marquis at that time and together they rebuilt Istvan even further. Making this barren place once more a gorgeous city and the Jewel of the Hungarian Crown."

Yes, he remembered that time well, and how it ended up developing into something tragic. But Abel smiled fondly as he gazed up at the church then to the distant festival. "Then the festival is celebrating those particular days. She accomplished more then I expected in her rein."

"That she did," Esther said as she knocked the iron cross door knocker. Minutes past and there were no answer, so the redhead knocked again, but harder. This time around hurried footsteps were heard and in the process of waiting, Esther pulled from beneath her jacket a cross necklace and a very familiar rosary.

"That's!"

The creaking of the opening door cut off Abel's words, and a young nun stood in the doorway.

"Can I help you my child," she said her warm chocolate yes smiling at Esther and then saw Abel behind her. "Father," she greeted with a bow of her head.

"We need shelter," softly but sternly spoke Esther as she raised Bishop Vitez's necklace and Sister Esther's rosary.

The holy woman looked shockingly at the two items, then back to the red haired teen with ebony bang framing her face. "My Lady! You're alive!"

Esther's face visibly flinched at the Sister's words. "No, she's dead; I am merely the double. I'm sorry." And the young ¾ Methuselah girl bowed her head in respect. "But I am here to fulfill the promise that I made to Her Majesty; get Father Abel Nightroad to the Empire of the True Race as soon as possible. And this church had guaranteed us shelter when we ever had need of it."

The Sister hurriedly nodded opening the door further. "Yes, please enter Miss Esther, Father Nightroad. I'm Sister Lira Donitz; I was told by the Bishop that I might find you two on the church's doorstep one day."

Into the candle lit church, Esther and Abel strode. Esther hand never been in St. Mathias before, but Abel had. He found it was much the same as the previous, same looking decorations and architecture. Nothing had really changed, but the silver haired priest hoped the rooms were a little better then the last. He wouldn't complain and the room was appreciated of course, but that guest room…had been in desperate need of renovation to put it simply. Redirecting his mind, Abel looked to Esther and saw her standing apart from them.

She had walked right up to the pulpit, piercing eyes of hard sapphire stared straight at the gothic gross hanging there in midair by wires. She had done this while Abel had gazed about reminiscing. Seeing the young woman standing there practically defiant in stance spoke volumes on how much had actually changed.

"Umm…" hesitantly spoke up the Sister. "If you like, I can take you up to the guest rooms where you can rest. I'm sure your journey has been a tiring one."

Diverting her eyes from the giant cross, Esther nodded to the Sister. "Yes it was; we ran into trouble and had to walk most of the way here. I'm sure you're hungry and tired Abel, please eat something and then get some sleep."

The Vatican operative looked at his companion with concern at seeing her pale face. "What are you going to do Esther?"

The redhead turned to him, giving Abel a warm smile that the priest knew to be fake. "I have a message to deliver," then she turned to the Sister. "Where is it?"

"Beyond that door in the far corner of the chapel," answered Sister Lire as she pointed to a door that was greatly hidden by the shadows behind the pulpit.

"Thank you," Esther said as she walked toward it. "Once I'm done here Father, I have much needed hunting to do."

Abel gapped and paled after Esther, and her very bold words in the House of God. A smothered whimper from Sister Lira alerted the priest of her distress at the comment. He didn't pay much attention to her though; his full attention was on the teen.

"…Esther…"

She didn't even miss a beat in her stride.

"Get some food and sleep Father," she deadpanned and the mix breed Methuselah child as she opened the door to vanish behind it.

Abel stared after her worried, hurt and angry, but the last he had no right to feel. Esther was Methuselah after all, and she had to prey on terran when need be. And Abel knew she needed it desperately; no pill was going to make Esther better, she needed the real thing. So turning his back to his departed friend, Nightroad let the young Sister lead him to a guest room on the upper levels of this new Saint Mathias.

- - -

The wood of the door was cool and sturdy against her back. Holding Esther's relaxed weight as if she was a feather. Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes she struggled to calm herself. The urge to pounce upon the poor defenseless terran Sister was slowly waning as she got further away. Her whole body ached for the nourishment her heart pumped, and a few more minuets, Esther's exhausting struggle would have ended badly. She was so tired; beyond tired, all she wanted to do was crawl into a corner and die. That would achieve nothing however; Abel Nightroad would be left all alone in a world he no longer recognized. So Esther pushed on, like she has always done; so young she was, barely a hundred and already age was weighing heavily on her.

Abandoning the supporting door, Esther made her way to the message panel of Methuselah technology that looked out of place in a house of Christian faith. Forcing down the urge to vomit once again, the teen continued to push buttons and typed in a secret code that was committed to memory centuries ago. She stared at the black screen above the panel, hoping for a connection. When hearing bewildered voices, Esther knew she had.

"Hey," said a male's voice. "Zacks, look at this. I never knew this connection still worked; do you know who it is?"

"Course not!" answered another man's voice. "You've been here longer then I have Yaffrie. Besides, this connection went straight through the security system, that's not possible unless given a code."

Esther glared at the still black screen before her, eyebrow twitching in her ire. "Perhaps…" she droned through clenched fangs. "…if you open the link, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHO THIS IS!!!!" Her raised voice made her cough up blood much to Esther displeasure.

The two men's startled cries were heard before the screen blinked to life, showing a pair of young terran men gapping at Esther. They watched her cough up a small amount of blood looking traumatized.

Esther wiped her mouth quickly once the coughs stopped. "My apologies, but I must speak with your Mistress immediately."

The two men finally regained their composure. "Sorry Miss," said the one named Zacks. "But we can't do that. We don't know how you got this signal, but we don't know you and our Mistress does not care for strangers…much. If you want to make an appointment you'll have to go through the normal means."

Esther snarled at the two terran men so they saw her fangs. "I am no stranger! I know your Mistress, so connect me to her now!!!"

"W-We can't d-do that," stuttered a frightened Yaffrie.

"Listen here terran! My name is Esther, citizen to the Empire of the True Race; ally to the Emperor Augusta Vladica!!!! NOW CONNECT ME TO ASTAROCHE ASRAN, MARQUIS OF KIEV!!!!"

The two frightened terran did so without further delay. They did it so quickly they never saw the outcome of Esther's irate outburst. They never saw her begin to hack and cough up blood that was her last meals as well as her own. Her body was falling apart from the inside out with the lack of nourishment, racking her body with pain. That was how Astaroche found Esther; hacking and coughing, struggling not to totally loose her dinner.

"Esther!" cried Asthe from her side of the screen. "What's gong on!!? Where have you been injured!!?"

The teen raised her blood splattered hand for her friend's silence, as she struggled to overcome her coughing fit. After a few more hacks it was done. "It's…alight Marquis, just my dinner coming back up is all; sorry you had to see that."

The beautiful Methuselah woman let some of the out of character concern ease from her face. "That's odd; that's never happened to you before. Is the dosage to strong now?"

"On the contrary, the pills wouldn't do this. Terran blood is absorbed into a Methuselah's body, like any other nourishment, however…animal blood on the other hand," grinned Esther tiredly. "Has a tendency to come back up once my body takes what it needs...what it can anyway."

Asthe stared at the teen, her golden cat eyes blinking; Esther waited for it to come. "ANIMAL BLOOD!!!?" she screeched. "YOU NEED TERRAN BLOOD YOU IDIOT!!! SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE DAMN PILLS I GOT MADE FOR YOU!!!!?"

Esther flinched away at the Marquis of Kiev's yelling; she always did have a pair of lungs on her. "Well…" nervously droned the redhead eyeing Asthe and her irked expression. "The Father and I ran into trouble on the way here to Istvan."

"What kind of trouble?"

Esther knew Asthe was crossing her arms even when the screen showed only her face and some of her personal chambers for a background. "…well…the train we were on…kinda exploded and crashed. Abel and I had to walk the rest of the way here; only a few days walking, nothing much, but a lot of our things was lost in the explosion."

The feisty noble narrowed her molten gold orbs, making the younger woman nervously shift from one foot to the other. "What aren't you telling me Esther? How did the train crash?"

"It was detonated," came the simple flat answer at the redhead looked back on all the blood and death…and the Crusnik.

Astaroche snarled, obviously growing tired with the child's vague answers. "Who detonated it?!"

With a sigh, Esther ran a hand through her dirty and tangled hair. _"Does she really have to ask that question?"_ asked Esther to herself; apparently so.

"It was the RosenKreuz, wasn't it?"

"Hit the nail on the head," muttered the teen.

"So they found you; how do you know they won't find you in Istvan?"

"Because…" she sighed, exhaustion quickly catching up with the girl. "It's out of character for me. I dodge all means of population; roads, cities, even large towns I try to avoid if at all possible. So the bustling city of Istvan would be the last place they would look; for now anyway."

Asthe nodded. "With the crash you're arrival will be behind schedule. Bring him here as fast as possible Esther; no more mistakes."

That brought a snarl to Esther's face. "It wasn't my fault we were found out!! Isaak and their new Puppet Master were on our trail! THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY EASY TO SHACK OFF ASTAROCHE!!!"

The noble drew back in surprise. "Isaak?! Are you sure?"

"I'M DAMN SURE," screamed Esther slamming her hands down on the panel. "I'd know that beast anywhere," she hissed.

Asthe looked worriedly at the woman-child. "Isaak was supposed to be dead, and you killed the last Puppet Master -"

"Esther," interrupted Abel as he pushed the heavy wood door open. "Esther you in here; I heard some really scary yelling." And the enforcement officer waltzed into the cobwebby room lit only by the light of the screen showing Asthe's face.

The teen stared wide eyed at the Father. "Abel…what are you-" but Esther's words were cut short as he hand went to her mouth, while the other to her stomach. Collapsing to her knees, the ruby haired girl began throwing up her dinner.

"Esther!!" cried both Abel and Asthe.

The AX member was instantly by girl's side, helping all he could. Soon the common occurrence in the last couple of days passed, leaving Esther once more gasping for breath and weaker then ever.

Pushing back scarlet tresses, Nightroad looked into the young woman's even paler, sicklier face. "Are you alright Esther?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine now, just…can you help me stand Father Nightroad?"

With a quick silent nod, Abel looped an arm around his neck and held Esther around the waist so she could stand. The glacial eyed priest struggled to ignore the sight of his close companion wiping the blood from her face. The sight wasn't so hard to ignore, the scent of Methuselah blood however, was very nearly overpowering his willpower.

"Well my tovaras, looks like you got yourself into trouble once again, just like in the old days Pumpkinhead."

Abel looked up and his wintery eyes widened behind his round wire-ream glasses as he took in the sight before him. "M-Miss A-Asthe!? W-What are you doing here?"

The Marquis' brow twitched. "I'm obviously talking to Esther on what has happened to you two thus far; in and out of sticky situation the both of you…like always."

The priest gave his best goofy grin. "Why hello to you too, Miss Asthe. You look like you've barely aged a day, and you kept your hair short!"

Asthe lightly tugged and twiddled the single crimson strand of hair of her white hair, blushing slightly. "Yes I have; I like the look in fact and for your age, the same can be said about you, but back to the task at hand; Esther?"

Raising her head, the teen looked into the strong woman's eyes. "Yes, Marquis?"

"There is a vehicle, prepared and ready there as requested. You will use that on your travel to the Empire, and don't stay in Istvan for more then two days. The RosenKreuz Orden is on your trail, use the utmost haste. I will inform the Emperor of your status. Both of you get here in one piece." Both nodded. "And Esther, I will inform the Emperor to wake them."

Esther bowed her head. "Thank you Lady Astaroche."

Astaroche turned her piercing gold eyes to Abel. "Keep an eye on this one tovaras, she's known to be as reckless as you and Sister Esther combined; till we see each other in person." And the screen went black, leaving only the light of the panel to light the room.

"Well…that was…interesting," commented Abel looking down at Esther who's head was still bowed. "Esther?"

"Why aren't you in bed," she seethed through clenched fangs.

The Father looked down in concern. "I heard you yelling from all they way upstairs; you had me worried. I thought we were under attack again." He finished with a chuckle to ease the tension; didn't work.

Esther took her weight from the AX officer, standing on her own two weak feet. "Go to bed Abel. I still have things to do," and she was quickly walking from the room, more like stubbing to Abel's standards.

"Esther! Esther, wait!!" he called after her as he ran to keep up with the mix-breed redhead as she pushed the church's doors open.

In a blur of color, Esther was gone, leaving Father Nightroad on the stairs, watching as the storm clouds rolled in with a light show of their own.

- - -

For the next half hour Esther used _"haste" _to leap about the church's general area, searching desperately for decent prey. Decent prey consisting of criminals of some kind, she wanted nothing more then to leave the innocent alone; she promised to do just that. However, the teen could no longer hold back her bloodlust, the next people to cross her path…wouldn't last the night.

"_Poor stupid lambs,"_ she thought scornfully as she stopped on a building's edge overlooking an inhabited alley. _"Prey…"_ was Esther's only thought as her glowing eyes gazed down at the pair of terran.

It was a younger, good looking terran male, with a fairly pleasant looking female clinging to him. Their bodies were invisible to weak terran eyes, but to Esther's, they were as clear as day. And so was the gleam of the knife's edge as it came up to the woman's throat; the teen grinned wickedly at the sight. The man just gave her motive to attack, and she licked her lips in earnest.

"Where's my money wench," he growled into her ear.

She whined playfully, ignoring the knife at her neck. "You'll get your money; don't worry, my boss will pay you handsomely. Won't you forget about business though, and concentrate on me…sweetheart?"

The man grinned as he captured the woman's lips in a demanding, but seemingly passionate kiss. Esther watched on wanting to vomit again at the scene, but she was envious as well. However, she was starving and her prey was oblivious to her as they moaned on. A prostitute and a gangster, they were the kinds of people that rotted the beautiful city of Istvan. She wouldn't; couldn't allow that.

Quick and nimble Esther leapt down from her perch to land on the alley floor in a splash of a puddle. Before either terran knew what was really happening Esther had the man locked in her iron grip and his fragile throat exposed to her aching fangs.

The prostitute screamed from where she was pinned beneath Esther's leg; she was ignored.

Biting down further and ruthlessly, the ¾ Methuselah girl felt the warm liquid of life fill her mouth and soothed her long parched throat. The man moaned and whimpered in pain, struggling to fight back. Against her it was futile, even when he stabbed the dinky knife into Esther's shoulder blade it was useless. She just bit down harder, happily earning herself a cry of pain from the man; music to her blood lusting ears. His fear spiced his blood beautifully as Esther quickly devoured him till nothing but a few drops of blood and a lifeless corpse remained.

Throwing her head back, the redhead let out an airy half cry. Blood painted her lips, to flow thickly down her chin from the corner of her calmly up turned mouth. Crimson orbs were alight with unholy, bloodletting ecstasy. And those euphoric spheres lazily found their way to the still crying and screaming terran woman beneath her leg. With a Cheshire cat grin, Esther grabbed the woman by the front of her now tattered dress.

"Silence girl," she seethed her voice throaty and rough with bloodlust. "Keep screaming and I'll actually give you a real reason to scream bloody murder. Don't struggle and this will be done quickly."

The woman kept screeching like a Banshee; vainly struggling.

"Suit yourself."

Once more Esther sank her fangs into fragile skin. Fear and the hint of good booze flavored the life-force the teen was taking in; making a unique taste that wasn't interlay unpleasant. Blood flowed further down her chin, making its way slowly down her throat to stain her collar. Esther's own moans of ecstasy intertwined with the whimpers and gasps of the helpless prostitute. The young ruby and ebony haired girl never heard the oncoming footsteps too preoccupied with her meal. Never heard the pursuer till a voice rang out.

"ESTHER!!!"

Jerking back from her now dead victim, the teen slowly turned her bloodied face toward the alley mouth. Though her eyes were narrowed in fury of being interrupted, there was a fearful shock that lurked beneath the rage. Holding the female by the front of her dress, Esther rose to her feet; sneering at the intruding man.

Because there he stood, heaving for breath, hands braced on his knees as the lamplight reflected off both glasses and startling beautiful silver mane…was Abel Nightroad. His wintery orbs were only for Esther, while the frown on his face deepened to the point that it was a look of disappointment. Straightening to his full height of six foot three, the look became even further crestfallen as he stepped slowly toward the blood drunk teen.

Esther dropped her lifeless prey to the cold and clammy stone ground of the ally. The swirling robs of deep crimson were for the priest alone as he made his advance with no hesitation. He was very brave and confident, or extremely stupid. Esther couldn't decide if she found him admirable in his actions or not, as she struggled not to attack him as well. Something in her animalistic mind told her not to hurt that slightly older man.

"Esther…it's alright now…I won't hurt you," he said holding up his empty gloved land as he slowed his advance to the Methuselah child. "You're ok now…let's get back to Saint Matthias…you need rest; we both do. Come on Esther; it's me Abel. Don't you remember me?"

At his soothing voice, she calmed. The once raging beast was now tranquil by a calm tamer.

Course she could remember, how could she not remember him; he's the kind of person you couldn't ever forget. Abel was so beautiful in his odd appearances; silvery tresses, eyes of the color of arctic ice, pale and handsome to the point of where he was gorgeous. Abel was not something she wanted to forget, then why did he ask why? Why was he so afraid; so hesitant?

Looking down at her hands to ponder Father Nightroad's odd behavior, Esther instead found her hands bloodied with terran blood. The truth of the situation struck to teen like a sludge hammer to the temple. She had fed and Abel had seen; he had watched!!

"..Abel…oh god, Abel…" she breathed as he body shook as tears burned her now sapphire spheres, to overflow just as the dark sky above opened up to weep for the girl and hide her tears. She watched as the Vatican man took in every aspect of her person, staring straight into her broken eyes to her blackened soul. "NO!! DON'T LOOK AT ME!!!"

Rushing away, the devastated girl succeeded in stumbling over bodies to the shadowed far corner of the alley. With the alleyway being a dead-end, there was nowhere else for Esther to hide herself. She just crouched down in a filthy corner quaking more out of shock then cold as she held her face in her dirtied hands. Esther was dirty in every aspect of the word; all she felt was limitless shame and devastation, there was no forgiving her now.

"…no…no…" she cried mournfully to herself. "…he saw…he'll have nothing to do with me…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Abel…"

A warm hand was laid atop her head; stroke her dripping hair, startling the young woman from her somber lonely yammering. Gazing brokenly up, Esther found none other then Father Abel smiling warmly but solemnly down at her. He demanded all her attention, even when he didn't mean to be the center of it he was; she couldn't look away even if she wanted to. Abel was so oddly breathtaking with the rain making his hair stick to this face, a single drop tangling from a stand of silver hair. Esther so wanted to brush away those silvery bangs blocking his face, but his words drew her attention.

"I said I was on your side, didn't I?"

Tears blurred and burned her vision, to flow anew and blend with the steady tears from the sky. Without further restraint and hesitation Esther threw herself into her guardian angel's arms. She openly sobbed into Abel's chest; all previous emotional restraint nonexistent.

"Shhh…" he cued running a hand through the blood and night colored tresses. "I'm here Esther; I'm here. I said I was your friend, and friends stick together."

Esther nodded her head, her voice to choked up with tears and emotion to speak, but she wanted to say that he was so much more then a mere friend.

Taking off his overcoat, Father Nightroad threw it across the young woman's sobbing shoulders. "Come on, let's get you back." And picking her up bridle style, Abel began the walk through the steady down pour to Saint Matthias. Off and on he would glance solemnly down at the near lifeless form of Esther, and rested his cheek atop her head in reassurance.

"I'm not going anywhere Esther…I'll make sure of it."

Neither noticed the blazing array of fireworks in the sky; coloring the gloomy world in shades of crimson, ivory and sapphire.

A/N: here we are, another chapter done! Who likes my little surprise about involving Istvan? It's kinda funny; I wrote this chapter thinking Sister Esther being some kind of a saint/ savior to the city before I even read the volumes calling her Lady Saint Esther. I hope all u readers like this chapter and sry for it being kinda later then I expected. But with spring break coming around I hope to update again soon!! Till then bye ^_^

BLAZE

**PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!! OR YOU PEOPLE DON'T GET AN UPDATE!!!!"**


	14. Race Against the Moons

Disclaimer: I don't own…MY LIFE IS RUINED!!!

**Last Time:**

Taking off his overcoat, Father Nightroad threw it across the young woman's sobbing shoulders. "Come on, let's get you back." And picking her up bridle style, Abel began the walk through the steady down pour to Saint Matthias. Off and on he would glance solemnly down at the near lifeless form of Esther, and rested his cheek atop her head in reassurance.

"I'm not going anywhere Esther…I'll make sure of it."

Neither noticed the blazing array of fireworks in the sky; coloring the gloomy world in shades of crimson, ivory and sapphire.

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XIV-Race Against the Moons**

With a groan, Esther slightly jerked away. Glancing about the young woman found she was in a guest room of St. Matthias. Her body was stiff and sore but Esther sighed at the fact of being fully rejuvenated. Sure, she had attacked some terrans, but they were criminals that polluted the beautiful city of Istvan. So her oath still stood, by a fragile string; it had always been that way and would never change.

Sighing, the redhead sat upon from her comfortable bed. Esther found herself in a nun's scratching nightgown; she made a face at it. A nun's nightgown was horribly plain and the material uncomfortable; how they willingly wore them she'd never know. But it was her gagging at her nightgown that led the teen to notice the sleeping Abel resting his head on his arms. He leaned on the side of her bed while sitting in a chair; glasses on her nightstand along with a single ebony velvet ribbon.

The very sight of the Father made Esther smile. His face was so much more relaxed and open in his slumber; calm and serene. Abel was gorgeous with his glasses and hair tied back, but without them, there was just something about him that intrigued the teen further. Perhaps he appeared more feral and untouchable that way, maybe that was why? But as he lay there, peaceful and unguarded, his silver tresses flowing all about him just begged to be touched. Esther had wanted to touch his hair since she had met him; she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity.

Reaching out, she let her slim fingers caress the oddly colored mane of the man at her side. Abel's hair was smooth and silky, soft as angel down one would say. Esther was envious of such hair; wished hers was so lecherous. And it just had to be a man with such gorgeous hair too. She continued to stroke and caresses the sleeping priest. So engrossed in what she was doing, Esther stared when he woke up, blinking his wintery eyes.

"A-Abel!" she stuttered jerking her hand back to hold to her chest as her pale face became flushed. "Um…g-good morning…sorry to wake you…"

Sitting up, he gave a goofy grin as he ran a gloved hand through his unbound hair. "…its alight Miss Esther, how are you feeling?"

The teen looked sternly at the clergymen. He was pale and exhausted; drained beyond all reasoning and he was asking her how she was feeling? The fact Abel was worrying about her rather then himself did move her, but not enough to keep her from being overly pissed with him.

She scowled at the priest and he gulped nervously.

"You should be worrying about yourself Father, have you eaten anything or slept any length of time at all?!"

The pale face flushed red as she scratched the back of his head anxiously. "Umm…well…you passed out Esther; I was so worried about you. Food and sleep was the last thing on my mind."

Esther took a deep calming breath. She had no right to yell at Abel if he was worried about her, course it still didn't make it better. "You still need food and sleep Father Nightroad. You lay down and I'll get you some food for you." And against the priest's protests, Esther got to her feet only to find her legs wobbly and giving out from under her.

"Esther!" cried Abel leaping to his feet and catching the unsteady Methuselah child.

She clung to the priest robes, struggling to keep her shaking legs steady. Strong arms held Esther up and were very comforting to her, but she was still confused. The reason for her legs being so abnormally weak was beyond her.

"How long have I been out?"

"Two and a half days," answered Abel. "Your body gave out when you drank, and rested to help rejuvenate. I'm not all that surprise that you're so disorientated," he said with a slight chuckle. "Can you try to stand?"

Scrunching up her face in concentration and determination, Esther relinquished her hold on the AX uniform and went to stand on her own. It started off wobbly as before, but with Abel's help Esther remained steady and standing, soon she was standing on her own with no help at all.

"There; all better," she chimed and looked over the Father. "Now it's your turn to rest Abel. Lay down and I'll get you something to eat."

He was about to protest, but the mix-breed Methuselah gently pushed onto the bed with no effort at all. With no strength to stand let alone fight back, Abel lie down and smile up at the worried redhead.

Her brows furrowed further as she gazed down at him. "You really do look horrible Father," she said putting her hand on his forehead and another on her own. "I don't think you have a fever…"

He chuckled, but red tinted his cheeks at the attention he was receiving. "I just need some undisturbed sleep Esther, let me sleep till we have to leave tonight and I'll be fine."

Doubting his words, Esther still found herself nodding none the less. "Alright, we'll do it your way, but I will bring up food for you. You can eat it on your own or I'll make you priest," she threatened; face stern with seriousness. "No matter what, you're going to eat something."

Abel gave a tired smile. "Yes mam."

Giving a small chuckle, Esther tucked the hapless Father Nightroad into the bed and headed to the door. Flicking off the light, she watched Abel snuggle further into his pillow; silver tresses flowing across the pillow like clouds. Smiling, the teen quietly padded down the hall; she had a lot of things to pack and prepare and not just Abel's meal. The ¾ Methuselah girl had weapons to prep and pack, the vehicle to chuck up on, food to pack and clothes to get. Esther was going to be one busy girl indeed.

- - -

Stopping at the door, Esther knocked. "Father Nightroad? You awake?" There was a small exhausted mumble that sounded remotely like "come in". So pushing open the door, the teen popped her redhead in. "Father?"

From around the corner from the bathroom, the Father came. Overcoat was gone, leaving only the long sleeved tattered shirt and pants of the AX uniform. To Esther's surprise Abel was far slimmer without it, and was further surprised by the fact that he was wet. He looked like he had just stuck his head under the showerhead, and still not looking any better. Worry tightened Esther's chest; was she pushing him to much?

"Abel?!" she said coming to stand in front of him as he dried his drenched hair with a towel. "You look way worse for wear then when you did go to sleep! Maybe we should stay another day?"

He shook his head. "We've stayed here to long as is. Asthe said herself two to three days here is the max. Besides," he smiled, but it never reached his eyes like it normally did. "I can sleep in the car on the way there."

Esther wanted to protest, but every point Abel made was very valid and true. Sighing she gave up with a roll of her sapphire eyes. "Alright; fine, have it your way...again. But I'll do most of the driving; you're sleeping. The vehicle is all ready and waiting for us," and she tossed a bundle of clothing on the bed. "Those are some civilian clothes I got today. We'll blend in more if we stay away from the Vatican's AX uniforms don't you think?"

"Oh alright; yes indeed," Abel said in a slight surprised and dazed manner that worried Esther as he finally took note of her choice of clothing.

The red and ebony haired teen wore a pair of slim fitting slacks of ash grey and the button up boots she had worn on their walk in Pari. Underneath an aged black leather trench Esther wore a white blouse with a form fitting ebony vest. She looked rugged, yet some how professional in Abel's tired wintery eyes. Why she looked professional or rugged for that matter he didn't know, but the trench looked familiar some how. The tattered leather, the way the front closed off to the side when button rather then right down the middle; the two parallel rows of buttons going down the front…

"That's an Auto-Jager's coat!!"

Esther smirked. "Indeed it is. I customized it a little today though. We only have one change of civilian clothing so we have to make do. I took this off a Jager at the train wreck."

Abel did not like it one bit, but Esther did have a point. She looked good in it too; accented the form he, a priest, should not have been admiring. Looking at his own clothes, he found no automated Methuselah's coat. Just some black dress slacks, a black button down shirt with a collar, and a high collared knee length jacket of soft grey.

"Hurry and change," Esther called from the bedroom door as she vanished beyond it. "We leave as soon as you're ready Father."

Quickly Abel stripped off his priest robes and flung them aside to be fully discarded; they were rags now and there were freshly packed ones. Pulling on the slacks, the exhausted man found himself nearly doubling over as pain washed over him in crushing waves. Every cell in his body was demanding the nourishment he was determined to deny it. They were almost there; few days of full driving would get them there. Once within the Empire Abel would be able to get what he needed; without hurting or possibly killing anyone.

"…Esther…" he breathed taking large gulps of air as he pulled on the shirt and buttoning it; leaving the top two undone. "I won't hurt Esther." That was his mantra; only thing keeping him from hurting the young redhead. Those four words were Abel's, Crusnik 02's leash and collar.

Abel continued to say them silently within his head as he left his room and made is way to the back of church as he pulled on his coat. Pushing open the door that led to the secluded garage, the priest found Esther standing by the car. Those sapphire eyes were in a daze as they looked at the tattered remains of the wooden garage door; more of a gate really. The dark clothing she wore was stark against the polished mother-of-pearl car she leaned against. Even the high collar of the Jager coat did little to hide the pale tantalizing column of Esther's throat that Abel couldn't keep from eyeing.

"…Esther…" he spoke aloud to keep himself in check.

Responding to her name, the young woman took in the sickly looking Father; her brows furrowed in concern. "Abel…you sure you're ok? You look like the walking dead."

He smiled at the last. "I'm alright. We should get going; it'll be dark soon…that will give us some cover."

Reluctantly nodding Esther opened the passenger door for him before unlocking the stall doors. Climbing into the driver's seat with ease, the mix-breed child brought the iron beast alive with a roar and drove onto the road beyond. The sparkling city of Istvan flowed by in an array of colors. It put Abel to sleep, but kept Esther wide awake. This city was the pride and diligent work of Her Majesty Queen Esther; her grandmother. The R.K.O. would no doubt attack the city once and if they came to full power…and she would stop it. Istvan was the city many people called home; a city symbolizing hope, just as the Lady Saint had those many years ago. Esther wouldn't let it be crushed; never again. She wouldn't just stand by and watch another city fall to ruin because of the RosenKreuz.

Forcing herself to remember happier times, the red haired Methuselah girl watched the lights, people, and the sounds flow by. Watched as those merry sounds and sights became only the sound of the car's rumble and Abel's steady breathing, the scenery just darkened landscape of the countryside. The full moon and the sky's stars lending light to the already lit headlights.

- - -

"Come on Father, time to wake up," said a rather annoyed voice as a hand shook the priest's shoulder. "Abel Nightroad!"

He grumbled. "…five more minutes Caterina…"

"Does it look like I have blonde hair!?" cried a steadily growing voice.

Groaning and rubbing his eyes, Abel cracked open a lid to reveal a rather irritated looking redhead. "Esther…?"

An eyebrow twitched. "Get up Abel, or you don't get any breakfast."

Pushing himself into an up right position, the civilian clad AX officer found that they were parked in front of a quaint little café. "What are we doing here?"

Suddenly the passenger door was jerked open, and there Esther stood, tapping a booted toe on the pavement. "To eat, what else?"

Abel gave a grin. "Right," he murmured and climbed out of the car.

Together they walked to the small café in silence. Esther watched Abel from the corner of her eye; she was not pleased with what she saw. Nothing seemed to work to help the stubborn male to get better. Terran food did little good, and from appearances sleep changed nothing. Abel was steadily getting worse and Esther couldn't think of what was causing it, let alone stop it. Pushing the door open the teen let the thought die with the chime of the bell tolling. She had to concentrate on getting food, which she hadn't had any of for a good 24 hours.

Finding an empty booth away from anybody, Esther sat down and took up a menu. "We don't have a lot of money so keep it simple Father."

"Alright," he answered. That would be easy for him; he wasn't all that hungry. Well hungry for the food served here in the little café that had a style that matched the bigger cities; it was out of place in the middle of nowhere.

"Hi there! I'm Inari and I'm your server this morning," chimed a rather cheery voice for being just a few hours pasted sunrise. "What can I get you two?"

Sapphire eyes looked up from the menu to see a very young man, a possible 14 to 16 years of age. Cheerful hazel eyes; blonde hair cropped short and slightly spiked. He was overly energetic to Esther's liking; she hated morning people, but it came with youth she supposed.

"I'll have bacon, two eggs and a waffle," she said. "And a coffee with cream."

The young man nodded as he jot down her order. "And you sir?"

Abel's tired eyes wandered to the boy, with a smile upon his pale face. "A stake of pancakes please, with lots of Mable syrup, and tea with sugar to drink."

Writing it down, the boy took the menus and walked away with a wide smile.

Esther watched as the priest before her stared out the window. He was not there at all; Abel was far off and the teen didn't like it. The redhead was thoroughly miffed now; something was wrong and Abel refused to tell her and now was ignoring her. He looked like he was dying and his lack of appetite was making Esther think he was. She narrowed her icy pools at him.

"What's going on Abel? You're not just sick, or not getting enough sleep; it's not as simple as that. Tell me what' wrong Abel; I can help you."

Mournful wintery eyes turned on the aggravated teen. Anger came off of her in waves, but it steamed from Esther's overwhelming concern for him. Abel could see she wanted to help, and as admirable as it was, he could not let her.

"It's nothing to worry about Miss Esther," he said smiling and giving that eyes wrinkle of his. "When we get there I'll be fine."

"If you get there," she seethed leaning across the table. "Your condition is getting worse and if I can't fix it, you'll be dead before we even reach the Empire."

Abel bowed his head, refraining from answering.

Esther sighed as she held her face in her hands. Silence was prominent between them for a time. Even when the server-boy came they said nothing. The teen raised her head just as the perky boy left them with their drinks.

"Abel," she murmured, and the man looked straight at her from over his tea. "You told me once, several times actually, that were you on my side; my friend. Well, I'm on yours and your friend…so why can't you trust me?" It was very visibly hurting Esther at how the Vatican priest she had known for some time now was keeping her in the dark.

Those glacial eyes dodged the sapphire ones; Abel continued to sip his sugary tea to keep from answering. He noticed how stricken Esther was with his silence and his keeping secrets; it reminded him of Sister Esther and how she asked him about his true self oh so long ago. Esther just sat there waiting for him to answer with eyes unwavering. Only when their food was brought did the ebony banged girl drop the subject.

So they ate in silence. Neither of them was hungry but ate for the sake of keeping up their much needed strength. With the bill paid and tip left, Abel and Esther left the small café.

Fishing the keys out of her pocket, the teen went to open the driver's door, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Looking up, Esther found a genuinely smiling Father Nightroad.

"Father?"

His smile grew as he snatched the keys from Esther. "You haven't slept at all since we left Saint Matthias; I'll drive this time."

"B-but…" Esther protested as she continued to reach for the stolen keys. "You don't know where you're going! What will you do when we reach a city, or come to a border? I know what I'm doing Father, you don't!"

"If you did know what you were doing," insisted Abel holding the keys above his head and behind his back, enjoying the sight of the much smaller woman jump up and down to get them. "You would be resting Esther. Please sleep, and if I run into a problem I'll wake you."

Esther scowled and reached around Abel's back to get the keys while facing him. She halted when she realized she was practically hugging the silver haired priest around the waist. Even felt his rosary hidden beneath his shirt; she was that close. Cautiously looking up with a blush warming her face, Esther found Abel staring down at her blushing as well.

"W-We have a deal?" he stuttered.

The redhead quickly jumped back and gave a reluctant nod. "Alright Nightroad; you win." And she moved to the passenger seat, while Abel opened the driver's door and unlocked the car. "Just keep following this road as far as you can."

Settling into their seats they were on their way again. The silence wasn't strained as much as it was slightly awkward. Abel kept his eyes on the road and countryside racing by, while Esther stared out the window. As much as she wished to sleep the act was evading her. Her thoughts were too jumbled and overwhelming for her to rest easily, plus the bright sun was every Methuselah's problem with sleep.

"Sleep Esther."

"Can't…" she mumbled.

Smirking, the priest turned on the radio to a soft classical music channel, then grabbed sunglasses from inside his jacket to hand them to Esther. "Try now; the glasses and music will help you sleep."

Esther gave a soft smile as she put on the sunglasses and curled up on the front seat. She was small and the car was a rather large one making the front seat like a small bed. Crimson hair barely brushed Abel's jacked as Esther curled up by him. With a small smile on her face she fell sound asleep with her guardian priest watching over her.

"Sleep well Esther," he whispered as he gently stroked the crimson and obsidian hair in a comforting gesture to help her sleep.

- - -

Day became night, and broke into down to flow by to dusk. Traveling across the countryside became a routine thing. Two days past in a haze of Abel and Esther switching at the wheel and eating at places that would be unsuspected places to stop or just ate the food they did have already. And like Esther expected Abel became steadily worse, she said nothing, though she was nearly busting as the seams wanting to. Abel was not clueless to that fact either, and was thankful for his companion's silence.

Now it was mid-day of their third day of traveling. They had refueled and changed into the Vatican uniforms. By nightfall they would finally be within the Empire's borders, and finally safe. Still Abel needed some sleep before then, and Esther was sure to know what to do when they reached said borderline.

"Esther," he said shaking the girl that rested against his shoulder sleeping. "Come on Esther, wake up."

"…mmm…," she moaned snuggling closer to the nearest warmth. "Five more minuets…Abel…"

The priest gave a tired smile still shaking the girl his arm was draped around. "But I want an extra five minutes of sleep," he said in a pouting voice.

The ¾ Methuselah girl groaned as she blinked her eyes to reed them of slumber. To her utter surprise, she found silver strands nearly tickling her nose, and instantly knew the owner's warmth and smell. Esther was sleeping on Abel's shoulder, his arm a comforting weight around her.

She blinked more as she eyed the priest's face. "Abel…I don't remember falling asleep on you…"

"You didn't," he answered with a smile. "You just ended up there and I didn't have the heart to move you; you looked so cute!"

Blushing at his comment and closeness, Esther sat straight up and felt the protective arm retract and go to the steering wheel. "Sorry," she yawned and looked up and out the windshield. "Those clouds are really dark, looks like they're going to open up any minute and give us one heck of a storm."

"Hope not," breathed Abel clutching the wheel. The way Esther arched her neck to look out the windshield did not go unnoticed by the Crusnik.

Every cell, ever Nanomachine of the Crusnik within demanded nourishment that sat so closely to him. His eyes burned and where his fangs were hidden ached with the need to pierce the fragile flesh of Esther's neck. The scent of the mostly Methuselah child was like heavenly torture to Abel.

Perhaps it was punishment for his past sins; wouldn't have been the first time.

"You alright Father," inquired Esther eyeing him in worry. "You were in another world for a second there; had me worried."

Mentally shaking his head, and repeating his mantra he nodded. "Just thinking that we'll be there soon," he said softly looking to his friend with a smile. "No problems either, I'm surpri-"

"ABEL LOOK OUT!!!!"

Screeching tires and cries of horror rang in Esther's ears; both hers and Abel's. She even thought she heard Abel curse as he swung the car to the left. The force of gravity from the turn was felt throughout the redhead's body. Everything seemed to happen so quickly yet at the same time, so slowly. Esther clearly saw everything, how fearful and stern Abel was, and the fact they had no where to dodge the fallen tree that was totally sprawled across the road. All she could think of was cling to Father Nightroad; that single thought vanquished all else.

Then they hit the fallen tree in the crunching and mangling of medal and melting rubber. Shattering glass was heard as the relentless force of gravity flung Esther away from the one she was clinging too. Pain was everything and everywhere as her body seemed to float and tumbled at the same time; she never saw anything with her eyes so tightly closed.

She knew she had been injured, how badly was unsure. Esther knew she had been forced from the car via flying through the windshield upon hitting the tree. From the way she felt, Esther had a feeling she was sporting several marks of road-rash of considerable size. Yet, through all the pain and agony she was in, bleeding out her life's blood most likely; she had a single thought. Only thing on Esther's mind as she lay there sprawled on the street in a white habit now shredded, was of a single individual that had been a constant presence and thought in the her life since a young age.

"…A-Abel…"

A/N: there I told you all that I would get another chapter up this week; GO ME!! ^_^ I know it really didn't go anywhere till the very end, but I hope you like it anyway. In the next chapter some real action begins, so keep watch'in for the update!

BLAZE

**DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!! REVIEWS ARE MY LIFE-LINE!!!**


	15. Under Summer Rain: Vows of the Fallen

Disclaimer: If I owned Trinity Blood I would have given it a better ending, don't yea think?

**Last Time:**

She knew she had been injured, how badly was unsure. Esther knew she had been forced from the car via flying through the windshield upon hitting the tree. From the way she felt, Esther had a feeling she was sporting several marks of road-rash of considerable size. Yet, through all the pain and agony she was in, bleeding out her life's blood most likely; she had a single thought. Only thing on Esther's mind as she lay there sprawled on the street in a white habit now shredded, was of a single individual that had been a constant presence and thought in the her life since a young age.

"…A-Abel…"

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XV- Under Summer Rain: Vows of the Fallen**

Groaning, Esther forced herself to roll onto her back. Her whole body ached and burned with more then just your average pain. Most of the agony was coming from her side, and lifting a hand the teen found her side wet and warm. Staring at her hand Esther was not surprised to find it slick with scarlet; she was bleeding, and badly.

"Damn it," she hissed returning her hand to her side to feel around the object protruding from her side. It was obviously a chuck of glass from when she had met and flown through the windshield, and it wasn't a small piece of glass either much to Esther's regret.

Ignoring her own predicament, the redhead concentrated on Abel. He was strapped in so that meant the priest was still in the car. Dead or alive was the question Esther wanted, needed to know, so she forced herself to her feet. Eyeing the vehicle a good twenty feet away in a mangled heap, she found Abel in the front seat. Sprawled against the steering wheel and dashboard as she expected, and from appearances he was unconscious or worse. It was the worst that Esther refused to ponder on, so stumbling forward she climbed onto the crunched up hood.

"Abel," she called as she made her way to the hole in the glass; doors were too trashed to be usable. She had to get the priest so she used the hole her body made. "I'm coming Abel, just hang on!!"

With the heel of her boot, Esther knocked away more glass so she could get through with fewer injuries. The hole was still small though, she wasn't going to waste time with that so some of her habit's skirt caught and ripped, while a stray piece of glass sliced her across her cheek. Esther still made it in and quickly shut off the car before turning her attention to Abel. Checking for a pulse, she laid her bloody hand on his neck and gave a relieved sigh when she felt a steady series of strong thumps. He was alive for now and checking him over to the best of her ability, Esther found little injuries visible.

Blood ran down Abel's face from a wound hidden in his silver hair just above his temple. He had a broken lip, bruised cheek and a number of gashes all over as well but all were minor. Internal injury was the worry, but first Esther needed him awake; if that was even possible.

"Abel!" she called giving him a small shake. "Please wake up Abel, just open your eyes! Do something damn it!!"

"Ugh," groaned the rousing priest. "Es…ther…?" he moaned lifting his head from the wheel slightly.

"Oh thank the heavens," Esther exclaimed leaning closer to take care of the wounded priest, ignoring her own. "How are you feeling? Do you feel any more pain then the average? Broken rips, possible internal injuries?" she rambled off.

Abel leaned back as best he could, his gloved hand holding his wounded skull. "I don't think so…my chest hurts a little, but I hit the wheel…that's nothing – gaa!" The priest coughed and into his gloved hand spattered ruby blood; stark against the ivory cloth. He looked at it like he couldn't believe it; the horror of the chances the past repeating itself.

Esther went from horrified shock to frustrated ire in an instant. "Damn it! You either have a punchiered lung, or internal bleeding! How's your breathing?"

Abel coughed again, hacking up more blood. "Breathing is a little hard, but more from pain –" another cough; more blood "– than a ruptured lung."

Esther scowled. "We need to get you out before we worry about anything else. I'll smash the door open, but first…" and the teen reached into the backseat. When the glass in her side caught the seat, Esther gave a small snuffed out cry, but the thing she wanted she got. From the back of the car the redhead pulled a long slender bundle.

"What's that?"

Esther smiled, feeling the cut in her cheek pull. "Precaution; now I need to get to the door, I'm going to lean over you; try to keep from moving too much."

Giving her a nod, Esther braced her hand against the frame of the door. Doors were hard enough to rip off without them being smashed together. If she had to she would resort to the windshield, but moving a person with internal injuries was far riskier then worth. So with all her Methuselah might, Esther shoved the door clean of its hinges. The metal door screeched across the pavement before hitting the grassy bank beyond.

"I'll go through the windshield and go around to help you out Abel; don't move an inch. I mean it!"

All the priest gave was a tired smile, and the clutching at his stomach.

Climbing quickly through the hole, Esther just leapt over the vehicle and land at the driver's door. Every move she made the glass wedged in her side pulled or was shoved further in. Pulling it out now would cause her more problems, being that if she could even pull it out now if she wanted.

"Come on Abel," she encouraged anxiously putting his arm around her shoulders and doing her best to get of the care carefully. "You need to help me here priest," she grunted. "Use your legs if you can; I can't keep your six foot self up myself!"

Said priest chuckled and half stood on his legs. "Esther…"

She looked up to find Abel staring at her seriously. "Yea…?"

"You're wounded too, don't try to hide it," he whispered. "The air is saturated with the smell of your blood, how bad is it?"

Course, coming from Abel it was his gentle and secret way of saying Esther's blood was not helping his sense of control. Methuselah blood drenched the air, all he could smell was her blood. The very nearness of it as well made the Crusnik's body cry out and ache more viciously for it.

"It's nothing serious; not like you," she stated as she settled the priest against the fallen tree some feet from the wreckage. "There, you should be more comfortable here Father Nightroad."

He didn't smile or respond as the teen expected, instead he glared and his lips thinned into a troubling frown. The sudden change in expressions unnerved Esther. Abel was suddenly angry and frighteningly so.

"A-Abel?" she stuttered as a drop landed on her wounded cheek. "Now!? Does it have to rain now?!"

"Rain is the least of our problems…they're here."

Esther gasped and whipped around just as Abel withdrew Leopard from beneath his overcoat. Standing in a dense semi-circle was a group of RosenKreuz Orden members. At the center were two faces Esther did not want to see in the least, not when they were so close. The Marionetten Spieler and the Panzer Magiel stood before her, smirks in place upon their handsome pale faces. Isaak had a half burned cigarillo between his sneering lips.

No one moved an inch as the heavens opened up and wept upon them, drenching their world.

"Isaak," Esther seethed as she stood fluidly bundle in hand.

The hauntingly handsome Methuselah smiled further. "Lady Esther, you did a fine job of evading us, but just not well enough."

The teen hissed. "Obviously."

"That was an awful crash Esther," the Puppet Master said in a sweetly mocking voice. "You're hurt pretty badly, so is the Crusnik. He doesn't have to be though."

Esther glared, but it was Abel who spoke. "Esther…you said you weren't hurt that badly…"

"Lord Abel," began Isaak stepping forward as the rain continued to come and down and become a steady downpour. "Lady Esther went through the windshield and was thrown a good twenty feet from the vehicle. Any Methuselah would be wounded extensively; you smell her blood don't you? It's too bad you didn't use her or you'd be in perfect health to save you both."

Esther clutched her blood drenched side as she turned to stare at Abel Nightroad. "What is he talking about Father?"

Isaak smirked lifting a pentagram adorned glove removing the nearly burnt out remains of the cigarillo and flicking it aside. "You haven't told her Lord Abel? What an interesting turn of events."

"You talk to freely Von Kampfer," shouted Abel, firing his gun.

The Magician vanished from sight to appear on the other side of the young Dietrin. "Now Lord Abel, you know you need to feed, and she's right there. How hard could it possibly be to feed from a weakened and bleeding Methuselah girl?"

"Feed?" gapped Esther.

Dietrin snickered. "Poor, poor little Esther, all this time kept in the dark. What do you think a Crusnik eats little girl?"

All Esther could do was glare at the annoying names but unable to answer.

"A Crusnik –"

"Quiet!!" yelled Abel surging to his feet and firing at the Puppet Master.

Dietrin leap aside, using his strings to tug the revolver from the priest's hands. "I was speaking Father, please don't interrupt. Like I was saying a Crusnik is a vampire –"

"Silence," roared Abel stumbling to a knee as he hacked up more blood only to have Esther instantly there.

"Is a vampire that feeds of other vampires," finished Isaak smugly and as calmly as ever.

Esther started as her wide sapphire eyes took in the heavily breathing priest. Abel refused to look at her, just glared and snarled at Von Kampfer. Thinking back to the night in the cave, Esther remembered asking if Abel ate anything special. The inquiry had gone unanswered then, now she knew why.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why didn't you tell me Father Nightroad?"

"Because," he wheezed still not looking at her. "I refuse to feed on you were you willing or not."

"He's fighting every instinct to keep from feeding off you Lady Esther. It doesn't help that you're bleeding everywhere and it just so happens to be that you and I are the only Methuselah here."

Dietrin snickered. "Yea, the priest doesn't want to hurt his little Sister Esther look-alike."

Looking up to glare, Esther saw that what Von Kampfer had said was very true. Other then Isaak, the rest of the cronies he had brought were well armed terran. Sapphire pools narrowed and Esther knew instantly that they had planned well. Abel didn't want to harm her, and by not using the Auto Jagers he couldn't get blood like that, and starved as he was, Abel couldn't catch Isaak to feed on him. And it just so happen that Esther had made a vow not to kill another terran. As much as she hated to break it, there wasn't much of a choice.

Standing slowly and stepping forward, the nun dressed ¾ Methuselah girl glared down her opponents. "You planned this to happen from the very beginning didn't you Isaak. Knew Abel would refuse my blood, and both of us have made oaths not to kill another terran. You made one mistake though," she snarled as she lifted her bundle and bit the string with her fangs. Pulling swiftly Esther revealed the handle of a sword. "I DON'T CONSIDER YOUR GOONS TERRAN!!! I'LL SLAUGHTER YOU ALL!!!!"

And the bloodbath began.

With a war cry echoing from her lips and grasping her sword, Esther vanished from sight to appear again as two terran soldiers went to the ground in a shower of blood and rain. Disappearing again with "haste", the white clad girl emerged once more slaughtering more men. Eyes once a flawless sapphire now glowed the color of her hair and the liquid she shed as she took down the Orden. Instead of going right down the line of men, she went back and forth; confusing them and making them quack with the unknown of where she was going to attack next. More cries of agony split the stormy day as Esther took down three more and moving on rapidly; stabbing, decapitating, and dismembering. Esther was no longer a mere young woman; she was a raging beast enjoying a bloody slaughter.

"…Esther…" murmured Abel broken by the sight and horrified for her sake.

"DIE VON KAMPFER!!!" roared Esther as she appeared in mid-air behind the obsidian haired Methuselah.

Abel saw his smirk from where he was. "No Esther," he cried. "WAIT!!!!"

In a blink of an eye everything changed. Using "haste" Isaak struck by flinging the young female aside like he was swatting aside a pestering fly. Esther flew away, landing and skidding across wet pavement gaining further injury. The whole back of her habit was shredded, the once white fabric now stained crimson. Abel could see from where he was that she shook in pain, clutching her blood drenched sword while she remained unable to stand. All Esther could do was moan and groan in agony as Isaak advanced on her, but Abel would never allow that.

"No! ESTHER!!!" screamed Abel as his body forgot all injuries as he found new strength to sprint to the fallen girl and the monster stocking her; she was only a few yards away.

The silver haired priest was almost there when one of the remaining soldiers tackled him to the ground. Isaak looked up at the commotion with a stoic expression, only to look at the Marionetten Spieler.

"She goes no where Puppet Master; I'm not through with her yet. But the Crusnik seems to still have energy left."

Dietrin stood over the whimpering girl like a malevolent guard. He knew just as much as Esther that she was not getting up any time soon; she was too weak to. Both watched as Isaak advanced on a raising yet heavily breathing Abel. The Puppet Master was excited while Esther remained fearful for her priest's safety.

"Lord Abel, perhaps this will incapacitate you till we meet with Meine Herr Cain."

Abel glared and snarled up at the Magician.

"I summon thee, of thy own free will," softly spoke Isaak as he slowly raised his gloved hands.

"_No!"_ screamed Esther silently as she recognized the incantation. "No," she repeated aloud struggling to her knees. "ABEL!! RUN–"

A sudden kick from Dietrin to her stomach and none wounded side cut Esther's cry of warning off, but not Isaak's words. All she could do was heave for breath, cringe and watch.

"Raise oh Lord of Darkness. Lend me thy power of the flame. Come forth, Arrow of Belial!" And above the Mechanical Magician's raised hands and head was a giant glowing ball that promised absolute pain.

Esther watched helplessly as she took in a wide-eyed Father Nightroad being forced back by the power of the arrows. His cry of agony split the air making every inch of Esther's body shiver and the hair on the back of her neck rise. Abel's body burst into purple flames as he continued to cry out and Esther couldn't stop the tears that swelled in her eyes. Abel was strong, she knew that, but the Arrow of Belial was a powerful weapon and with him already wounded. Esther feared the worst as the priest lay motionless on the ground.

"…Ab–Abel…" she moaned, her tears blending with the rain that pelted down on them all. "No…Abel, get up…please get up…"

"He won't be getting up Lady Esther," stated the dark beast in a matter of fact manner as he stood before her. "Dietrin, would you please restrain her."

Grabbing her by the hair, Dietrin forced his other weapon of choice, a medal rod under Esther's chin. Restrained as she was with her hands held back by the rod she couldn't move, barely breath as well. All Esther could do was glare defiantly at Isaak as she remained on her knees.

"After Meine Herr rose from his sleep I spoke to him of you. He as asked me to persuade you to join us, I however know otherwise that you will not," he said smiling charmingly down at her. "At this Meine Herr found you to be a thorn in our side that has festered for far too long, and he as asked me to give you an appropriate greeting."

With a well placed strike to her chest forced a scream from Esther's lips to and an episode of coughing up blood after.

Her breathing was shallow and pained; she was certain Isaak had broken some of her ribs. Esther's vision was blurry; painted red with her agony, mixed with splotches of ebony and ivory of suffocation. The pain was excruciating, much unlike on previous occasions. Esther clawed at the air and kicked her feet for freedom that she knew she would never get. The redhead was too busy trying to regain what little breath she could to notice Isaak was kneeling before her. That was until pain like none before made her screech to the stormy sky.

Von Kampfer was carefully twisting the glass in her side.

"If you beg, I may stop and give you a quick death Lady Esther," he said smirking, his aristocratic features every way mocking.

Cringing and struggling not to cry, Esther used what little air she had to cry three words. "GO TO HELL!!!!"

Her brave cry became a hair rising screech of pain as the Panzer Magiel twisted the glass sharply.

"You are a brave one Lady Esther; Meine Herr is very disappointed you did not want to join us."

Esther bit her lip to the point of bleeding to keep from weeping. She remained stubbornly silent, but in her head she was screaming; begging for him to stop, this was far worse then torture. She called silently for someone to save her; anyone, even if it was death that took her away. Every nerve ending burned and screeching with agony, not even the embrace of unconsciousness would stop it. Even thinking of Abel Nightroad didn't quiet or diluted Esther's pain.

"_Abel,"_ she thought mournfully. _"…he'll still save me…right?"_ Esther wasn't so certain though; it was rather naïve of her to think such. Abel was critically wounded; he wasn't going to save her when he couldn't even save himself. Yet she still found herself thinking of him and murmuring his name like a little prayer.

Dietrin chuckled jerking the metal rod and cutting off more of her air; she gagged. "He can't save you in his condition little Esther."

Had she been whispering his name aloud? Aberrantly so.

Isaak gave a smile; the kind of smile that haunted her nights still. "Shall we continue Lady Esther? Or have you chosen to beg for mercy?"

Esther forced herself to remain calm, never uttering a word. She however, did give Von Kampfer a pained glare, a look promising his death one day.

That made him chuckle darkly. "You can not kill me if you are dead Little Star," he droned as he continued to twist the glass painstakingly slow.

She wanted to scream, but she had so little air, and her throat hurt; raw to the point of bleeding from her pained shrikes. Esther knew she had no hope of living and let alone getting out of this; nothing but a slim, impossible vain hope. If she was going die, and Esther knew she would eventually with this mission. So she'll die with him on her lips; whispering his name.

Gazing up at the weeping sky, Esther gave a soft last smile and whispered, "Father Nightroad…"

Lightning flashed instantly followed by an ear ringing crack, with it lighting the dark world with its split second eliminating presence. The pain was gone now and Esther knew she was dead in that instant. But when she opened her eyes all she saw was the dark grey sky, and the rain it shed, even saw the lightning splitting through it. Looking to her right she found her sword and very slowly reached for it, clutching it in hand. Esther even saw with her slowly clearing eyes the group of remaining soldiers backing away. Isaak and Dietrin were getting to their feet; once pristine uniforms now charred. None of them were happy, but were rather fearful; the leaders stern.

Esther didn't care how things happened, she needed to get Abel. Abel was all that mattered; was always what matter, nothing was more important then him, not even her life. So with the last bits of her strength Esther pushed herself to her knees. Esther held her side as her blood puddle under her flowing like rivers on the pavement. It was as she cringed in agony that she looked to the side to find not the Father, but instead familiar boots. The hairs on the back of Esther's neck were on end as a feeling of being watched overwhelmed her. With her whole body quaking, Esther fearfully let her eyes wander upward.

The boots led to the slender but well toned legs, to be connected to the owner's torso. From there sapphire pools took in the obsidian wings that looked half like scales while remaining as soft as any feather. Soon Esther was taking in the person's face and the silvery tresses rising above him like a halo. She could only fearfully gawk at the pair of ruby eyes staring blankly down at her. Every instinct in her brain and body told her to run for her life, never to stop, but her body refused to move. All Esther could do was kneeled there before the awesome, terrifying creature as a single thought ran through her head.

"_A vampire that drinks the blood of other vampires…A vampire that drinks the blood of other vampires …"_

The Crusnik kneeled before her, her wide eyes following every movement. It did not go unnoticed to Esther that her shed blood flowed toward the creature's feet to be absorbed. The young teen watched nervously as a bare clawed hand reached up and stroked her wounded cheek. Those glowing pools of blood red following the trail of blood down her cheek.

Esther's fist tightened on her weapon. "…A–Abel…?"

Ruby eyes returned to hers. The creature before her uttered not a word to her; didn't need to. Esther could see recollection in those eyes, Abel still was there how much was uncertain but he was there. In those hauntingly beautiful eyes sorrow lurked and an agonizing question.

"You need my blood…don't you." It was not a question, because the answer was obvious.

Yet she still received was the smallest of nods.

Esther saw Abel in every line and crease of the Crusnik's face, but the stoic expression was what threw her. This awesome creature was fighting with everything he had to not devour her on the spot in a ruthless manner; expressionless to keep her feelings of hesitation at bay. This creature was a caged and starved animal, and denying him would only bring her more pain.

Knowing she had no choice; not like she cared either way Esther unclasped her collar. Setting aside her hesitation and fear she pulled aside the cloth to expose her fragile neck. She noticed those beautiful and hypnotic pools widen as Abel's tongue licked his darken lips. Esther could not deny this man, this creature; didn't want to.

"I give it freely."

Abel descended on her rapidly, like the starved animal he was. His clawed hands drew her close as he pulled back the cloth to further expose tantalizing flesh. Soon the Crusnik found himself biting viciously into the offered neck. The instant blood touched his tongue the Crusnik truly took over; all hesitation was shattered. Drinking deeply from the whimpering and moaning prey, the dark angelic vampire drew her close. Every drop of blood would be his; every drop would bring him to full power.

"We need to stop him!" cried a rather panicked Dietrin. "Everyone fire!"

The Crusnik's eyes shot open to glare at the gathered men as they raised their weapons. He in turned unfurled his wings and from them burst forth blue lightning, scattering the measly men like mice. With that done the creature of legend returned his attention to his slightly struggling prey.

"…that's enough…" she whimpered out pressing her unoccupied hand against Abel's chest. "…no more…please stop…"

Not liking resistance the Crusnik bit harder receiving a small cry. Drawing his prey closer he drank deeper still. There seemed not enough in her little body to satisfy him, but it reminded him of something sweet; like honey but something else kept it from being overly sweet and thick. He couldn't identify it but it was something exotic and oddly refreshing.

Her vision was growing steadily darker and blurring now as Abel continued to take more. If he continued on he would kill her; that much was certain. "Please stop…Father Nightroad…." Esther wheezed. Nothing was working; no matter of pleas reached him.

It could have been worse; she could be at Isaak's lack of mercy. Esther had waited so long for this day; boldly stated that she would die for the cause. And she would, with every fiber of her being she would. Waiting for this day was her last fragile thread of reason to live, she had nothing else but this; nothing but the creature devouring her. So let him devour her, Abel Nightroad, Crusnik 02 had already taken her over body, mind, and soul long ago.

Almost every thought she had as a child was of him. Now every action and everything Esther saw or did reminded her of the goofy, hapless priest and powerful Crusnik. She had dedicated herself to him the first time her family told stories of the awesome creature. Esther submitted to Abel in every way, when her family was murdered by the Orden she dedicated herself to help the hero rise again. Abel owned her practically and he didn't even know it. Perhaps it was time she submitted the last thing she had and could give.

"Alright…" she whispered as the world grew steadily darker. "You can take it…it's yours anyway… always was." The strength to keep her lids open finally failed her, but still she spoke. "…goodbye Abel…I–"

The weak voice trailed into a content sigh as a limp hand slowly released the sword and the sound of metal striking wet pavement echoed through the rain and over thunder. That single eerie sound accompanied by the soft sigh was too soft to be heard by normal means, but he heard it, as clear as day. Because the one who made it, was the someone he was holding.

A/N: Don't you guys just hate me? (Smirks happily) All you reader were begging for an update and now I give you another cliff hanger, raise your hand if your pissed off? (Snickers) I hope you all enjoyed the chapter even if I did give you a cliffy; cliffies are so much fun! Well till the next update!

BLAZE

REMEMBER TO REVIEW PPL! OR ELSE THERE'S NO UPDATE!!!!


	16. Under Summer Rain: The Man that Fell

Disclaimer: don't own, but wishing I did is alright ^_^

A/N: I apologize in advance for this very late update (bows). But as I'm sure ppl can understand, life called and so did finals; oh yippy right? Stupid finals, but at last here's the update; hope you all enjoy!

**Last Time:**

"Alright…" she whispered as the world grew steadily darker. "You can take it…it's yours anyway… always was." The strength to keep her lids open finally failed her, but still she spoke. "…goodbye Abel…I–"

The weak voice trailed into a content sigh as a limp hand slowly released the sword and the sound of metal striking wet pavement echoed through the rain and over thunder. That single eerie sound accompanied by the soft sigh was too soft to be heard by normal means, but he heard it, as clear as day. Because the one who made it, was the someone he was holding.

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XVI-Under Summer Rain: Man that Fell From Heaven**

Words echoed in his skull, but none of it made sense. Not until the person in his arms had gone completely limp and lifeless. Jerking back as if he had taken a fist to the face, Abel gazed down at what he had done; the horrifying realization. He stared brokenly down at the limp figure he held so close.

"…Esther…" he breathed, shaking the girl slightly; there was no response at all. "Esther please wake up!!"

"Well that's too bad," droned Isaak's haughty voice as he bravely stepped closer. "Now you've gone and killed her. With that wound in her side, the extreme bloodless and you eating her so viciously, she is certainly dead. Meine Herr Cain would have liked to be the rebellious "Star", he'll be very disappointed to know you killed her Lord Abel."

A growl came deep from the dark creature's chest. "Silence Von Kampfer, or you'll be my next meal," threatened Abel in a dead serious tone no one could doubt.

Slowly, with the fluidness of the supposed "God" he was, Abel stood. Cradled in his arms, embraced so he could keep her close, was Esther; a peaceful expression on her face oddly enough. Abel's expression though was masked sorrow or masked sorrow at best with furious rage being the mask. All he wanted to do was breakdown and cry for the loss of a life so precious to him. The dark creature could only hold back so much emotion, and with this loss it seemed near impossible. All he could do was hold Esther closer, and close his eyes to remember better times, filled with her smiles and laughter. Though few as they were, they were far more precious because.

"…I'm so sorry Esther…" he whispered in her unhearing ear.

The rain continued to pour, even the sky seeming to mourn the loss of such a fiery flower. Abel let the rain become his tears, he could not weep here; not in front of them.

Heels on wet pavement rung in the air, looking up nonchalantly, the Crusnik found the Marionetten Spieler standing next to the Panzer Magiel. They were going to attack, it was exceedingly obvious.

"You can't be leaving yet Lord Abel," sneered Dietrin lifting a gloved hand. "We still have to take you to Meine Herr." And with a flick of his wrist, Dietrin unfurled his deadly near invisible puppet strings.

Seeing it coming, Abel quickly furled his wings about Esther and himself. Snarling as the string bound him, lightning crackled and sparked about him like the storm raging above their heads. With a resounding roar ripping from the dark angel's throat as he flung out his wings, snapping the wires effortlessly.

"Your pitiful string cannot hold me Puppet Master," he snarled out extending a hand out, manifesting his ebony scythe to appear in his grasp. With one swing Abel split the group of Orden members into a scurrying horde of fearful terran and a frustrated Methuselah.

Isaak stepped forward. "Then perhaps I will try." And before Abel could do anything the Magician had once more summoned up the Arrow of Belial and his shadowy Devils.

With a single thrust of his wings, Abel leapt aside only the arrows followed, not acting like normal arrows at all. Holding Esther so close he couldn't manage dodging as well as striking out to disrupt the spell. So it was only a matter of time before the arrow finally found him, and they soon did. Abel instinctually wrapped his wrings around Esther as the arrows impaled him. He still struggled to dodge them and did so slightly; his robes and Esther's soon further in tatters because.

An animalistic cry split the air as the Crusnik threw back his head as the spell finally died. Enraged beyond what he had ever had been, Abel thrust out his scythe. His aim wasn't for Isaak or the Orden, but at their feet. With his tremendous strength and lightning, Abel sliced the pavement at their feet. Disturbing earth, pavement caused them to scurry away. The debris protected him and gave him cover to escape.

"Von Kampfer!" Abel yelled his voice rough yet with his fury. "You and the Orden will pay dearly!! Tell Cain that I'm coming for him!!!"

With that promised threat, Abel unfurled his wings and took to the stormy skies. He held Esther close, cradling her limp body bridle style. The rain continue to pour, seeming not to even look like it was going to lessen as the drops bled with his bloody tears . He prayed with all his heart and soul that his suspicious were correct and not his imagination, because he swore he heard Esther's faint heartbeat. Over the wing, rain and roaring thunder he heard the _thump, thump_ of Esther's heart. He hoped to God it was there.

They were so close now; nearly there and trouble had to strike on the last stretch. Even now, though barely seen, the Crusnik could in fact see the golden glow of the Lapis Lazuli Wall ahead. Abel was almost there; soon they would be safe and protected. So forcing more strength into the surges of his wings, Crusnik 02 was flowing through the curtain of rain as fast as he could. Quicker yet did he breach the wall, the UV protecting particles flowing over him with an odd sort of soft pressure.

The rain continued to fall; weeping for the child he held.

Upon making it through the wall, new problems arose; one's Abel hadn't expected let alone thought of, but not all surprising. Not just anything could pass through the Lapis Lazuli Wall and whatever unwanted intruder did, was shot down. And that was exactly what was happening; Abel was being shot at by the Empire's defenses.

With thunderous roars from cannons and other assort meant of weapons, Abel dodging all. Nothing would stop him from reaching the Yulduz Saray; he would reach the palace no matter what. Like they had been to the borderline, they were so close to their final destination, already he was quickly descending. If Abel could land the danger would be lessened considerably.

"Hold on Esther," he cried over the thunder of weapons and crack of thunder. "We're almost there!!"

The instant the words left his mouth, Abel roared out in pain. His back had been struck by a ship's small cannon. The quick controlled descent became a tumbling death dive. Abel's back burned and ached. To control his dive he forcing himself to flap his throbbing wings, he found one wing broken and the other with many of its flight feathers gone. Gazing down, ruby eyes spotted the roof of the palace that held the audience hall right beneath him.

"Damn!" he seethed, fangs barred as eh hold his unconscious charge closer.

With Nanomachines Abel could heal quickly, but not quick enough this time. They would hit the roof before his wings would work. Curling himself and his mangled wings about Esther, Abel waited for the impact.

Breaking through tile and stone alike, nothing was able to withstand the force the Crusnik struck it. Abel just cringed and snarled in agony as his body was further willingly abused. He was glad though that the roof had slowed impact, so the force was lessened when hitting the cold stone of the halls floor.

However, bones still crackled and gave wet snaps as Abel hit the unforgiving ground. He let out a quiet airy cry as blood flowed from his uniquely tinted lips; scarlet eyes wide in his pain. As much pain Abel was in, he quickly dismissed it as he sat up with effort to look over a still comatose teen. Finding no further injuries then the ones he had inflicted as well as the crash, Abel gave a soft tired smile.

"Intruder!!" roared the Methuselah guards.

Abel's head shot up as the rest of his body went on high alert. With his body broken all the Crusnik could do was drape an ebony wing over Esther and hold her to his chest to protect her. Propping up on one arm the silver haired creature growled and snarled at the advancing Yeniceri, with their broad swords drawn. They circled the dark angel, eyes as steely as Abel's but not glowing with such a bright ruby full of protective rage.

Appearing from behind, his large muscular bulk demanding attention, making the rest of the crimson garbed warriors part, was Lord Baibars. With flame like blade drawn, the dark skinned Methuselah pointed at Abel's still snarling face.

"For invading our Empire and destruction of Her Majesty's palace, we arrest thee; surrender or die!!"

Abel glared daggers; he didn't have time for this. Esther could be dying or already dead for all he knew! She needed help now, Abel needed Seth.

"Where is she!?" he yelled coughing up more blood; his body was healing but too slow for his liking. "Where is Seth, Baibars!!?"

The head of the Yeniceri narrowed his dark eyes. "How dare thee utter the Emperor's true name so formally!!" And Baibars shoved his blade closer to Abel's face.

"Halt Baibars!!"

Heads turned in surprise to find a small statured girl standing atop the throne's platform. Dressed in a white and emerald green dress was a very young and surprised Augusta Vladica. Her heels rang hollow on the floor as she rushed forward anxiously, green eyes wide in worry.

"Abel!" Seth cried as she stopped at Baibars' side seeing the still half mad wounded Crusnik. "You need to calm down Abel! Deactivate them!"

He shook his head; Abel knew he would pass out soon enough. "Don't worry about him Seth, you have to help her!" Unfolding his wing, he revealed a limp Esther in his one arm; her head thrown back from his holding her around the waist. She lay there hands flung aside and motionless, injuries numerous to all, the mark of a vampire clear against the column of her neck. "Esther's dying Seth! HELP HER PLEASE!!!!"

Jade green eyes sharpened as the young girl took on an air of command. "Baibars! Take Esther to the infirmary as fast as thee can!!"

"At once Your Majesty," answered the bear of a man as he sheathed his weapon and stepping forward to do as commanded.

The Crusnik barred his fangs in a vicious snarl, a growl rippling from deep within his chest. It was a warning sound, deadly serious as Abel drew Esther close to him.

"It's alight Abel," reassured Seth as she kneeled by him. "Esther will be in good hands, I promise; calm down Abel."

Forcing himself not to fight and protect, he reluctantly loosened his grip on Esther. Baibars took her in his arms and vanished quickly with "haste". With the weight of her appending death lessened, Abel felt his whole body relax slightly. He was calming, finally, and it was a good thing. Adrenaline for one made the Nanomachines that much more active and harder to control and keeping him sane. With a sigh he left himself fall to his back, finding his head in his little sister's lap.

He gave a small smile as the Nanomachines rapidly settled down. "Hello Seth, long time no see."

She chuckles, hands running through Abel's hair. "You need to learn to visit more."

All Abel could do was give a tired smile; he was so exhausted. But Seth's sudden ordering voice that startled him.

"Everyone else, leave. There is no need for thee here!" The Yeniceri hustled off back to their stations, one remaining at the Emperor's words stopped him. "Send the Marquise of Kiev to us immediately!"

"Right away Your Majesty!" and he quickly set off to do what was asked of him.

The short haired teen turned back to the man in her lap. "You sure know how to make an entrance big brother. I should make you fix my ceiling."

"Sorry," he murmured.

"Can you get up? Or do I have to carry your bean pole self to the infirmary?"

Abel chuckled softly. With some effort he did in fact make it to his feet, when it came to walking though, he stumbled. Seth caught him and kept him propped up, but carrying was out of the question.

"Well my tovaras, you're certainly gotten yourself into a mess…again."

Groggily looking up, Abel's glacial eyes slowly focused on the new arrival. "Hello Miss Asthe, how have you been?"

Astharoshe rolled her molten gold eyes. "Better then you obviously; here, lean on my shoulder."

"Thank you Miss Asthe; you're so nice," Abel said as they walked to the infirmary wing.

She glowered, golden eyes smoldering. "Don't mention it."

Abel gave a groggy smile; he was beginning to fall asleep on his feet.

"I mean it Pumpkin Head! Don't mention it ever! To anyone!!"

"O-o-of course Marquise!" stammered out Abel.

Seth chuckled as she pushed open a door. It led to a medical room, more lavish then the Vatican medial rooms, but still retaining that infirmary feel. "Now Lady Asthe, go easy on him; Abel did just crash through my palace's ceiling, no easy feat remind you." Seth gestured to the bed. "This will be your room till you're in better condition then we'll move you into chambers of your own. Lay him down Astharoshe."

"But…Esther─"

"She'll be fine," persisted Seth, helping Abel to the bed. "Worry about yourself for once Abel; Esther would want you safe and resting."

Though he wanted to further protest, Abel found the strength lacking. "Alright Seth…" he murmured settling into the bed of thick blankets of feather down and soft cotton sheets. The instant his head touched the down pillow Abel was out, all his worries still remaining on a single little redhead even in slumber.

- - -

He groggily woke up, eyes heavy as f laden with lead. The rest of his body was sore, but Abel was extremely comfortable. Moving from his place would have been a sin in itself; however the priest did finally manage to open his eyes.

The world was bright; extremely bright and blurry. Besides that Abel did manage to focus on the young woman sitting on the window seat nest to his medical bed. A well worn book resting in her slim pale fingers; the title couldn't be made out. But the image she created with the sun glowing atop her head like a halo through the window brought back memories. The sight made him smile.

"…hmm…" he said struggling to speak, only to find his vocal cords as well were not working properly.

The young woman sitting there turned and looked over at the half unconscious male. The shining smile she gave shown brighter then the sun. "Get some sleep Abel," she whispered softly.

He went to answer, but her voice was like a spell to his ears. His lids falling slowly shut to once more be lost in dark, dreamless and peaceful slumber.

"…_Lilith…" _

- - -

Voices. He heard voices; familiar voices at that, but one's he was very happy to hear after so long. Abel just couldn't get to sleep plagued mind to remember who. So he laid there listening half conscious.

"So how is he doing?" asked a man calmly and quietly and civilly.

"He needs sleep more then anything," came Seth's recognizable voice in answer. "That idiot bean pole was pushing himself again!"

Rather obnoxious masculine laugher was heard, it was soon hushed; man still remained chuckling. "You all know how he can be…same for Red! I say both those idiots were push'in it!!"

"They got here quicker then expected," floated forward a man's flat voice. "Even with the trouble she got him here in one piece."

"Yes, yes; very true," spoke the man that had spoken first. "But Abel's condition could have been better."

A feminine hiss was heard, silencing all. "Abel was in better condition then Esther! You should be grateful, you buffoons! She's already guarding him; half-dead too! That young woman spent most of her life guarding his grave, while you all were sleeping!!"

Seth chuckled. "Well said, but we should keep it down, or we'll wake Abel."

"Negative, Father Nightroad is already awake," answered a deep deadpanned voice.

Abel was most certainly dreaming as everything grew quiet as he fell back asleep, because that sounded a lot like Tres-kun to him.

- - -

Something was tickling his nose; that was the first thing Abel noticed upon waking. He flung his hand out to shoo it away; being it was most likely a fly. Instead his hand brushed warm fur and heard an annoyed hiss. Whatever was tickling the ancient man's nose, it was most certainly not an insect.

Groggily, the glacial eyes priest opened his eyes. What he found, was not a normal sight; it's not every day one sees a red squirrel with tips of silver perched on one's face. All Abel could do was star into those beady black eyes; it stared back.

Its fluffy tail twitched.

Abel sneezed.

His sneeze brought him fully awake as well as sitting up, the small rodent hissing and biting into his cheek to keep from being flung across a room Abel didn't recognize.

"Abel!" cried a voice from a window seat to his bed's left. Upon it was the Emperor herself. "You're awake!!"

"Oww, oww, owww!" he whined pulling the squirrel. "Yes, it appears so, and what a wake up call it was!"

The young green eyed girl smiled and held out her hand. "Come on Lilith, leave poor Abel alone." The small creature leapt to Seth's hand easily and quite happily. "So how are you feeling?"

The Vatican operative eyes the small animal white answering. "A little groggy still, but much better," a loud grumble echoed through the large bedroom; Abel chuckled while blushing. "…apparently hungry as well…"

Seth chuckled as well. "That's great to hear, and you're always hungry Abel!"

It was, but not for him. Even after just waking Abel's mind was swirling around one question. "How's Esther?"

The usually peppy teen sobered. "She's alive; recovering slowly, but alive. Much longer and Esther would have been dead, and still that stubborn girl's refuses to rest; up and about that idiot child," Seth said grumbling the last bit more to herself then Abel.

Abel hung his head, dropping it in his hands as silver tresses fell about him. "It's all my fault…I should have had better control of myself. Esther shouldn't have suffered that…"

A warm hand settled on the grown man's shoulder, followed by a head as Seth sat beside him. "She wanted to do it; begged me to let her take the mission. Said no the first few times, but she's a stubborn one, as I'm sure you know. Finally I let her, telling her there were many unknown dangers."

Abel stiffened, turning to look at his younger sibling; he found Seth's expression saddened and tinged with guilt. "You let her because she was ¾ Methuselah; you let her be my prey. You planned it that way!!"

Seth stood, walking roughly to the end of the bed to stop and stare at him. "Yes Abel, I did set it up that way! I'm not happy about it but it was for the best and I was hoping you'd see that because Esther was Methuselah, you'd use her to keep your strength up! I was wrong obviously…proud, honor bound oaf," she grumbled.

"Wait, wait, wait," yammered Abel ignoring Seth's poking insult. "Esther said she was ¾ Methuselah, not all."

Green eyes widened slightly. "You─" Seth started. "She never told you!?"

"Told me what?"

"Abel," she said softly still standing at the end of the priest's bed. "Esther is not ¾ Methuselah, if she was you would have needed more blood then she could have given you. Esther is much more then that; much more."

He blinked, confused and hurt starting to swell to life. "What? Did I miss something? Esther said she was Sister Esther's granddaughter's double; who in fact was ¾ Methuselah herself. Isn't that right?"

Seth eyes narrowed in confused thought as she continued to stare at her older brother. "Abel, what story did Esther tell you?"

A/N: And there we are! Chapter 16 finally completed and up for all you very patient ppl. Sorry again for the very late update, but I'm sure I'm not the only one know the horrors of school and finals; YUCK! XP Hope you enjoyed and that this chapter was worth the long wait. And would you look at that, I ended with another cliffie…(gives a thoughtful look) I should really stop doing that or I'll have a angry mob outside my window. (looks out window) too late! RUUUUN!!!!!

BLAZE…and I'm running for my life ^_^


	17. Forget Me Not

Disclaimer: me no own, so yea'll no sue XD

**Last Time:**

Green eyes widened slightly. "You─" Seth started. "She never told you!?"

"Told me what?"

"Abel," she said softly still standing at the end of the priest's bed. "Esther is not ¾ Methuselah, if she was you would have needed more blood then she could have given you. Esther is much more then that; much more."

He blinked, confused and hurt starting to swell to life. "What? Did I miss something? Esther said she was Sister Esther's granddaughter's double; who in fact was ¾ Methuselah herself. Isn't that right?"

Seth eyes narrowed in confused thought as she continued to stare at her older brother. "Abel, what story did Esther tell you?"

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XVII-Forget Me Not**

Abel could only blink as his thoughts slowly came to order. He eyed Seth in confused hurt.

"Story?" he asked. "You mean everything Esther told me was a lie?!" The mere thought of the possibility was devastating; she didn't trust him.

Seth wrapped her arms around herself, dodging her older siblings piercing gaze. "Tell me what she told you and I can tell you how much the truth is dressed up in Esther's lies."

That told the priest that Esther did in fact like to him; right to his face, without batting an eye.

Taking a deep breath he began. "Esther said she was Sister Esther's granddaughter's double. The Queen of Albion married Ion to form a treaty and gave birth to a child that was half Methuselah. That child married a Methuselah and a ¾ Methuselah child was born. When she was younger, Sister Esther told her she would meet me and look after my supposed grave. Esther died and the Kingdom of Albion was overthrown by the Orden. The Queen that was supposed to rule next was executed, along with her double. The grandchild had escaped, never to be found; even my guide couldn't find her and assumes her dead."

All the while as he summarized what he knew, Abel stared into his hands in devastated defeat. Abel's mind constantly, repeating and questioning how and why Esther had lied to him. The story was…sounded so real, and the emotion on Esther's face was so fresh and sincere.

"Was that all really a fabricated story?"

Seth eyed her brother sadly. "The plot of the tale is mostly true, but the people are switched around."

Glacial eyes looked up. "How so?"

"Sister Esther married Ion Fortuna, yes, that's true, but not for political reason alone. An attack on the Queen was fabricated by the Orden and had gone off, but not resulting in Esther's death. She had been wounded critically in her abdomen; the Queen of Albion could never bare a child."

Abel gapped. "What?! Esther must have been devastated; she loved children! But my guide said─"

"Let me finish Abel," protested the Emperor, hands on her slime hips.

The bed ridden priest fell silent for Seth to continue.

"So we fabricated a story; it became useful too, but sad as it were. Esther was to marry Ion and make a united treaty between Terran and Methuselah; Albion and the Empire. But the concept of an heir was the problem. So experiments had to be established and projected. Esther was against it at first, but soon saw reason; so project "Little Star" began."

"Little Star?" inquired Abel still confused where this was going. A glare from Seth made him fall silent once more.

"Yes, "Little Star" is what Esther, your guide is. She was not conceived and birthed by normal means Abel. She was created in a laboratory in the Ghetto."

"C-Created!!?"

Seth nodded somberly as she sat in the window seat, stroking the squirrel named Lilith. "Esther is of Methuselah and terran decent, created in a lab. But not only that, you've no doubt seen Esther's uncanny resemblance to the Lady Saint, there's a reason for that."

Abel waited impatiently in silence; the suspense was beyond withstanding. "And?" he encouraged.

Jade eyes looked at Abel with sadness. "This new Esther is the old Esther reborn in a way. Your guide here is not only Sister Esther's true daughter but as well as her clone…in a way, with slight difference certainly."

"What!?" cried the AX officer horrified with the large amount of new information. "She's Esther's daughter and clone practically!! Grown in some unholy lab beneath Buckingham Palace!!!?"

Seth gave a curt nod. "She was told the Lady Saint's stories and life till the point their practically her own memories, all in the hope of making a realistic look-a-like and ruler. Tales of you were given as well as the AX, but some details remained secret; like the fact that you were a Crusnik. But everything else in Sister Esther's life was there. But in the end there was an anomaly in "Little Star's" genetics."

Abel gripped the sheets of his bed, brows drawn down in a vicious glare and chilling frown. "You're making her out to sound like **us** Seth," he seethed. "Some pet project, how could you consent to this!!?"

The young ruler of the Empire gave a long heavy sigh, showing how burden her small body was. "I didn't at first in fact, but like all of us did eventually, we saw the problem of a lack of an heir would cause."

Abel glowered further, but as much as he hated it he wanted to hear more. "And…the anomaly in her genetics?"

"Esther was arranged to have both terran and Methuselah characteristics; some of the same weakness or immunity to others. But she ended up no matter what we did to have immunity to all normal Methuselah weaknesses. No reaction to sunlight, silver, holy water…anything really. She was terran in appearance; grew like a terran till she hit her early teens then grew at the pace of a Methuselah, but the strength of a full adult. Her thirst however, was much stronger then normal."

"Yes…" stoically droned Abel. "I've noticed." He looked at his younger sibling. "And the attack? Did that even happen?"

"You saw the Capital Abel, you should know it did," coldly stated Seth but not at Abel, more from the fact that it had happened. "Isaak some how infiltrated the palace and led an attack. Sister Esther had died only a few weeks earlier from old age, leaving young Esther as the remaining heir. She had gotten away from the attack, her remaining doubles fulfilling their jobs. One remained behind to be caught and to be later…executed…in Esther's stead."

The priest grew rigid in flaming fire; Nanomachines wanting to be released to wreak havoc, but Abel settled them as best he could. "How old…" he hissed finally, once in control. "How old was the child they killed?"

The Emperor was hesitant, but the look Abel gave her made her shiver. Left Seth remembering the anger of the beast Abel left caged and the vicious temper to go with it. "Fourteen; the two look-a-likes were fourteen…"

Surging to his feet, Abel's fists clenched at his side; white knuckles looking like they were about to break through skin. "Those monsters…" he seethed in a soft whispered; arctic eyes ablaze with fury. "…will pay…" He looked finally to Seth; the younger girl shaken by the rare display of rage. "And the other double and Esther?"

"Esther had been lost for some time, but her double and terran friend finally found her half dead with thirst and depression. So in a last attempt to save her, the brave child offered Esther her blood and life. She took it by being alive today, but she swore never to kill an innocent terran again. She's most like you that way," said Seth, smiling at the last, but it was slightly hollow.

"And then?" Abel didn't want to hear more of the devastating story, but to understand Esther and what he missed he needed to.

Seth sighed again. "Asthe, and I went to find her, Ion as well since he was here telling us personally of Queen Esther's death; they were close friends."

"_She didn't love him then…"_ he thought, saddened yet happy at the thought; Abel hated himself for it.

"When we found her she was crying on your grave Abel…"whispered the young Crusnik, staring out over her twilight lit Kingdom. "…it was like a back flash right before our eyes. Sister Esther had told stories of you; showed how much she loved you. Now all the "Little Star" had…was your grave and memory."

He looked up at his younger sibling, acknowledging that he had heard, but Abel said nothing.

"Esther is dedicated to you in every way. She has no motivation to live other then you Abel. She would have died a centaury ago if it wasn't for her promise to look after you. We had to drag her back here to train her in fighting and survival. Every struggle she overcame, she did so for you. Returned to Albion for you; her living Hell. Fought the Orden alone and suffered in solitude for you…"

Abel frowned. "You sound like you're blaming me for everything…"

Seth looked shocked. "No! I blame you for nothing you idiot bean pole! I'm trying to get you to understand just how much you and your survival mean to Esther. She needed something to strive for; something to keep her motivated so she didn't end up having a complete catastrophic breakdown.

"You mean…"

The young woman nodded. "Yes Abel, her reason for living isn't much different from yours. Her reason for living is you Abel and her promise to protect you till you were delivered safely to the Empire. While you're promise to Lilith to protect the terrans and her memory keep you going. Esther would gladly give up her life for you and very nearly did. Please don't be mad at her for what you'd call her "Blind Devotion" or for lying to you. She never uttered a word of the truth to us. If we didn't know everything from Ion she would have lied to us as well."

"She doesn't want to be pitied…like you and me…" he droned as he stared at his hands. "…I'm not even worthy of such devotion…

Seth stood and came to stand by her brother's side. "Please Abel…convince her not to give up so soon. Just because her mission and promise is complete doesn't mean she has to throw everything away…even her life…"

Frustrated ire was quickly replaced with horrified shock. "She would commit suicide!!?"

Seth exhaled sharply. "It's what I've been trying to get at Abel!! Because you're here and safe she had nothing to live for…" whispered the young ruler, and Seth slowly wrapped her arms around her big brother's waist. "She's thinking of how right now…talk to her please. I think you're the only one that can talk any sense into that stubborn girl."

Abel chuckled miraculously in that moment as he remembered a particularly stubborn nun; mother like daughter it appeared. "I won't let her die; I promised Lilith I wouldn't let anyone die. And I owe it to Esther herself…"

Big green eyes looked up with tears in her eyes that refused to overflow. "Thank you…"

"No need to thank me," he smiled; giving his goofy grin. "I'm your big brother after all; I'd do anything for my little sister, even if she's a bit of a brat."

Seth chuckled as she stepped away before kicking Abel in the shin lightly. "Esther is just down the hall in her room on the end. She's awake, so please go talk to her."

"Of course," he said taking up his glasses to only find them broken and beyond repair. The priest pouted at the sight.

Seth chuckles. "You'll have your new glasses by tonight Abel."

He gave his goofy grin. "Alright then…I'm off."

The instant the door close behind him though, the goofy forced grin died. Heavy, melancholy eyes turned to stare down the hall to the left. The double doors on the end were small in the distance, but the obstacle they presented was enormous. Still, calling up all his will power, Abel slowly made his way down the hall; his steps echoing in his ears. Sooner then he expected or wanted he was standing in front of the daunting doors still unsure of what to say to Esther. All he had to do was turn the knob and push, but even that simple action seemed impossible; beyond his strength to achieve.

"_You can do this,"_ he said to himself.

Mustering up what courage he had, Abel turned the knob and pushed open the door. The room he was greeted with was unique to the Empire. Most aristocratic Methuselah were privy to brighter colors, but this room was mainly black with accents of gold and crimson. The only different color in the color scheme was the blue Forget Me Nots in vases about the room. The style of the room remained the same as the Empire, but as he stepped into the room, it was only the color that was odd. It was well lit; the three other walls either had large bay windows or an open balcony doors. The twilight filled the room, giving the chambers a warm atmosphere rather then a dark feel.

Abel was further interrupted by his admiring of the large chambers by a pair of soft voices. To soft to be formed into words, but distinct on whom they came from. One was a man's voice, the other a soft female's; they were coming from the balcony to the priest's right. Walking silently forward, Abel stopped by some drapes as he took in the odd scene before him.

A slim built young man leaned his hip against the balcony's stone railing. He wore the attire of a Methuselah aristocrat; even a sword hung on his hip; dressed in the color scheme of crimson, sky blue, white and touches of gold accents. The man demanded attention with his masculine but beautiful features; he held himself so well even when relaxed. Pale blonde hair hung about his face as it blew about in the breeze. Burgundy eyes stared at the young girl sitting on the railing as he murmured words to her.

The young girl Abel recognized as Esther immediately by her hair and ebony bangs that emerged from the long jacket around her shoulders. The high drawn up collar eclipsed her face from the priest's view, but she was speaking to the young Methuselah. She sat atop the stone railing in pants rather then a habit or dress, one knee drawn up to her chest as her arms wrapped around it. The other leg hung limply over the side of the railing, the booted toe barely brushing the balcony's floor. In her position, Esther looked hesitant and modest toward the man from Abel's position, he was curious on why she acted that way.

Was he a relation? Was the first thought that came to the ancient man, but the probability of that was slime. It was most likely a suitor from decades before; awaiting Esther's return from her guarding over him. That Abel could believe, and his chest ached at the thought, the why was the question.

"_Perhaps I should come back later…when Esther doesn't have a visitor…"_ he thought turning slowly away.

The AX officer's turning away though, alerted the Methuselah to Abel's presence.

"Father Nightroad…" spoke the young man in slight surprise in a slightly familiar voice.

Abel blinked as he looked over his shoulder. "Ion…?" he whispered uncertain and he turned and faced the man.

The young man stood straight, letting his new height of a possible 5'10 be known. He smiled and the man became the Ion of old. "It's been a long time Lord Prince, we are happy to see thee."

Abel nodded, ignoring his title for now. "Yes, indeed it has been Your Excellency. I'm happy to see you well. And if I may, you've become quite the young man."

"Of course," Ion said crossing his arms over his chest. "We are older and stronger."

"Oh! I have no doubts there," grinned Abel sheepishly, waving his gloved hands about; he remember the Earl's temper and the fact that Ion never really liked him all that much.

Ion looked at the ever silent young woman. "Do thee not wish to greet the Lord Prince Esther? He is the Emperor's older brother, thee should address him accordingly."

Esther hugged her black flowing jacket closer; face still hidden. "Greetings Lord Prince."

The Earl of Memphis scowled at the girl before sighing. "We will leave thee to talk but get rest Esther; it will do the wounds well." And Ion placed a kiss upon Esther's head much to Abel's surprise. "Sleep well child."

"Good day…father…" softly spoke Esther.

Ion strode right past Abel, but giving the priest a rather unnerving glare. There was a warning in that gaze, but Abel was unsure of the exact purpose of it. Course, looking at Esther and her condition he could guess. The young naïve Earl was indeed a man now; watching over his daughter as any father would. It wasn't surprising to the silver haired man that Ion would blame Abel for Esther's wounds, he blames himself even.

Swallowing the lump of nervousness that had lodged itself in his throat, Abel Nightroad stepped up to the railing. He took up the spot Ion had just vacated, but this time Abel gazed over the blue sparkling ocean. The priest just stood there, hands at his sides as he gazed brokenly out at the body of water, cast in the colors of dusk.

"He doesn't like looking at it…"

Abel turned and eyed Esther in confusion. "Who?"

"Ion…" she murmured hugging the coat tighter about her shoulders, the sleeves flapping slightly in the salty breeze. "He doesn't like watching it. The blue ocean reminds him too much of Radu and his actions. Can't blame him really; I was told the story… their expressions…were looks I've not unfamiliar with…"

"Esther─"

Sapphire orbs shut up to look at him, silencing Abel. "I'm sorry Lord Prince, for lying to you; about everything…"

"You had your reasons Miss Esther, I can't be angry with that." Abel grinned as he gazed into the jeweled pools of water.

Ruby brows narrowed as the teen took in the look. She knew that look so well by now; that look she got from nearly everyone at some point. Asthe was the only that didn't look at her like that. Didn't give her that single simple look that pissed her off so much that she felt like demolishing everything. Yet at the same time making that look made her feel completely insignificant and a mere shadow; made Esther feel like crying. She never did though.

"Don't look at me like that."

Abel drew back slightly at the soft intensity of the anger in Esther's voice. It surprised the priest, the redhead had spoken softly but no anger was lost because. The priest could only blink in uncertainty.

Esther scowled at the grainy surface of the railing. "No matter how much you look at me, you won't find her Abel; so give it up. Nothing can bring her back so don't look at me like I'm her."

"Like who Esther?"

The teen swept her feet to the balcony floor, fluidly standing. "Who else Abel?! Sister Esther Blanchett, the Lady Saint of Istvan, Queen of Albion…we're nothing alike my mother and I! So stop looking at me as if I am!!"

The hurt and ire was prominent in Esther's voice did not go unnoticed by Abel. He may not understand her pain, but he felt horrible for causing it, even unknowingly. After what he was told though, how could he not think of the possible miracle of having his lost love back; the one he had regretfully given up. To have her face right in front of him was astonishing, but beyond his reach it appeared as it was, was excruciating.

He sighed as he turned back to the sea. "I apologize Esther, I didn't mean tot make you uncomfortable. Seth just told me everything as well as you're…lineage." It wasn't the word Abel had been looking for exactly, but it would have to do. "It's all rather overwhelming so my mind is a little scrambled," he finished with a smile but it faded at Esther's hurt expression.

"I understand," she whispered. "You were just told that I'm basically the clone of the woman you had loved and had to leave behind for her own safety." The priest gapped at that, Abel had spoken to no one about it; apparently he couldn't keep even his own secrets. "You hope for the impossible though Abel; I'm not like my mother. You should know; you've seen just how brutal I can be…"

The glacial eyed priest nodded. "You try to make everyone realize that you're not your mother, but you are more like you mother then you realize Esther, and not in your appearances."

Somber eyes looked up to the heavens. "I've been told her stories, compared to her and her achievements; I know everything about her as if all her life's story is a memory of my own…I don't want to talk about her anymore." Esther stared back at the tall man. "So tell me why you're actually here, because I know it was Seth who sent you."

Abel grew serious rather then mournful as he eyed the young girl standing so bravely and defiantly at his side. "Do you really plain on killing yourself Esther?"

She gave a smirk, a sadness swelling within it; she knew that comment was coming. "The answer is a very probable yes Lord Prince, but I don't see how the subject concerns to you."

"How can you say that Esther!!" snapped Abel outraged by the thinking that her safety meant nothing to him. "What will your death accomplish Esther!?" She didn't answer, just remained staring. "Nothing!! That's the answer!"

Not even missing a beat by the visual appearance of Father Nightroad's temper, Esther answered with an "Exactly. My life had meaning because I had a mission; a promise I was determined to fulfill. My death would be as pointless as my life will be now with my goal accomplished. There's nothing left for me here."

Nightroad was unsure if he wanted to narrow his eyes to slits or widen them from shock with Esther's words. In the end he resorted to closing them slightly close. The redhead's words plucked a string in his age old heart that he had been battling with himself; the struggle to live with a promise you had to keep no matter what and the aftermath once it was accomplished. Without a reason to live, life was a retched, lonely existence. But Esther had more then she knew that was what made Abel decide his next action.

"I apologize in advance for this Esther."

She blinked. "Wh─"

Esther's words were cut off sharply but the ringing sound of skin against skin. She staggered slightly in the direction of the doors as a slight stinging sensation burned in her cheek. Lifting a hand to her face, wide sapphire eyes gazed up at Abel in surprise and hurt.

"Why…Father?"

Glacial eyes stared viciously, but not with anger. "Your words make no sense what so ever! You are wrong in every aspect of the word Esther!! You have plenty to live here for if you would open your eyes to it! You have Ion; your father, Asthe, Seth…then there's me! Aren't we worth living for?! Are we not worth protecting, or are we that trivial to you Esther!!?

"That comments unfair, and you know it!"

Abel gave a rare huff that shrugged off the comment. "I had the same thing said to me one time, and I too found it unfair, but this isn't about me. You've blinded yourself Esther with your promise to look after me, just because its over doesn't mean you have to crawl into corner and die!"

She blinked in surprise, still holding and stroking her struck cheek; slightly red as she eyed the distraught man before her. Then to Abel's surprise, Esther smiled as she lowered her eyes; an actual, genuine smile, even if it was small. Yet even then it was a beautiful thing, still thought, Esther said nothing.

"What good is completing a mission if you don't stick around to watch it prosper ha?" he asked softly seeing the words he said sinking into Esther's mind; words he need to hear himself.

Hesitantly, the young woman stared Abel in the eyes to do some deep soul searching. "…so…you want me here…for me, not because of how I look like my mother…?"

Abel gave a soft encouraging smile. "I want you here for you Esther, why wouldn't I? I owe you so much for watching out for me and saving me, I want to repay you, so please…stay."

It was small, nearly invisible as it twinkled weakly flowing down Esther's cheek. From the corner of her eye it had escaped, but Abel saw it as Esther bowed her head. Perhaps it was signifying something new in both their lives; they just had to live it out to see. Seeing the opportunity to gain ground with Esther, the silver haired, blue eyed priest embraced the silently weeping young woman.

"It's alright Esther," he breathed, rustling her crimson hair as he drew her closer. "Its good to hear isn't it…that you're wanted for you…and I promise that I'll give you a reason not to die."

A small chuckle was heard from the Esther as she returned the embrace, her slim hand curling around Abel's unique crucifix. Eyes tearful she gave a watery smile for Abel to see. "I'll give you a chance Lord Prince…" she whispered.

Smiling back, Abel said nothing, just held Esther closer, letting his lack of words express more then he ever could with them.

**A/N: **There we are another update for you all to enjoy. Kinda angsty ain't it, didn't mean to make it out that way…o well, it's an angsty story. Hope none of you are confused. Tried to explain everything best to my ability with where I was going; hope none hate me for how I played out the plot :D

Esther got slapped *snort* that girl needed a good whack upside the head…ah face XD…like her mother

Until next time then…keep watching, more plot surprises will be coming!

!BLAZE!


	18. Long Kiss Goodnight

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my own character…even if she doesn't look like someone else XD

A/N: I apologize for the long wait for an update. One thing after another built up and kept me busy, but I'm sure we've all gone through something of the like. So hopefully this chapter makes up for it. Updates should remain somewhat constant just bare with me! :D

**Last Time:**

It was small, nearly invisible as it twinkled weakly flowing down Esther's cheek. From the corner of her eye it had escaped, but Abel saw it as Esther bowed her head. Perhaps it was signifying something new in both their lives; they just had to live it out to see. Seeing the opportunity to gain ground with Esther, the silver haired, blue eyed priest embraced the silently weeping young woman.

"It's alright Esther," he breathed, rustling her crimson hair as he drew her closer. "Its good to hear isn't it…that you're wanted for you…and I promise that I'll give you a reason not to die."

A small chuckle was heard from the Esther as she returned the embrace, her slim hand curling around Abel's unique crucifix. Eyes tearful she gave a watery smile for Abel to see. "I'll give you a chance Lord Prince…" she whispered.

Smiling back, Abel said nothing, just held Esther closer, letting his lack of words express more than he ever could with them.

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XVII-Long Kiss Goodnight **

"Well…what do we have here?" droned a low raspy voice form the room. "Yo Red…your Pops ain't gonna like yea all snuggly with Four-Eyes here."

Abel blinked at a blushing Esther in confused shock before spinning his head about. "L-Leon…?" he gasped out.

Sure enough, the rather vulgar insulting and very un-priestly Father stood leaning on the doorframe of the balcony. That arrogant smirk upon his stubbled chin as the unkept black hair hung about his tanned face. Leon was also wearing the same old priest robes.

"Leon?! Is that really you!?"

The smirk widened. "In the flesh ol' Four-Eyes."

"Ahh!" cried Abel jumping back and pointing a finger at the burly man. "You're supposed to be dead!! Terran can't live this long and not age! YOU'VE BARELY AGED AT ALL!! HELP ME ESTHER IT'S A GHOST!!!"

Leon blinked at Abel's rather enthusiastic outburst, and then his brown eyes fell on a still blushing but gently smiling Esther. "You didn't tell him then, did yea Red?"

"Obviously," she murmured.

The silver haired priest looked between his new friend and his old one. "Huh? Tell me what Esther?"

The redhead looked up at the ancient man. "Well…it was supposed to be a surprise…but Dandelion ruined it."

"I did not!" protested the put out Leon.

Esther gave a silencing glare. "When the AX was disbanded…another story for a different time," she said seeing Abel's curious and anxious eyes. "The members had nowhere to go. So Seth chose to employ the AX as her own people as mediators doing a number compromising things between Terran and Methuselah. But they wouldn't last the time to see you again obviously, so we put them into an animated suspension. "

Ice blue eyes blinked. "A wha?"

Esther sighed. "Simply put, Seth and I froze them."

Abel made an "oh" face as he comprehended the concept. "That would stop all aging and the like. So why are you awake now Leon?"

The man slapped Abel upside the back in a friendly matter, but nearly making the lanky man stumble over atop Esther. "Why do you think Nightroad!? All of us chose to sleep most the time till you woke up!"

Abel looked at the rather load man in a stupor. "All…of us…?"

"Yes Father Nightroad."

His head went up like a rocket lifting off to find Havel standing there smiling gently just like old times. And soon filing in behind him was the holographic Sister Kate. Tres soon trudged in and took his place on Havel's left. Coming up behind those three was the pipe smoking, grinning Professor himself. They were all there, mostly; there was still a rather silent blonde and red haired eternally missing nun, and Noelle gone long before this. Abel smiled warmly at them none the less, feeling tears of joy swell in his eyes at seeing old faces he thought he had lost.

"It's great to see you all," he beamed, fighting tears.

Kate wiped her own tears away. "Yes, it's good to see you too Abel, and in one piece as well." If she hadn't been a hologram everyone was sure she would have hugged the clumsy priest till nearly all life was squeezed out of him.

Havel stepped forward and extended a friendly gloved hand; glove embroidered with the Empire's emblem. "Great to have you back Abel."

The recently risen priest took the offered hand from his friend. "Glad to be back." Abel then turned to Tres, and as much as he would have like to see an expression of happiness on Tres' face, Abel knew it wouldn't be there. He was happy though to see the man made of circuits and wires.

"Hello Tres," he said smiling.

"Hello Father Nightroad," deadpanned the robot. "Damage report."

They all sighed, but smiled none the less; it was just like old times. "I'm fine Tres; the wounds are all healed."

The auburn haired machine nodded then hazel eyes landed on the small statured girl. "Guardian…damage report."

Esther rolled her eyes as she pulled her arms through the long coat she wore. "I'm fine Tres, the wounds are healing."

Abel looked down at the red and ebony haired teen. "Seth mentioned that your wounds weren't healing well. What's wrong?"

She clung to the ebony and emerald embroidered jacket. "Slow healing is all, it happens; nothing to worry about Lord Prince."

"Wouldn't this help?" Havel said as he extended a wine glass filled with red liquid that everyone knew to be blood. "You haven't been drinking Esther," calmly yet sternly spoke Havel in an actual fatherly manner as he placed the glass in Esther's grip.

Esther raised the glass and stared at it at eye level. "…I'm not thirsty."

Sister Kate stepped forward hands on her holographic hips. "Esther Anita Rose Blanchet! If you are going to get better you're drinking that; all of it!!"

Abel blinked at Kate and Esther; the teen blushing with an embarrassed expression upon her face.

"Kate! I told you not to call me that!!"

The blonde Albanian woman stood straight, staring the younger woman in the eye. "It's your name, get used to it. Now drink that till the glass is empty."

Silence hung over the group, the previous joy lost and replaced with a wave of irritated ire from Esther. She glowered at the glass then at the stern Sister. Neither one looked that they would give in any time soon; both stubborn beyond all reason. Tension was thick in the air making every male but Tres uneasy; lucky man. It was broken however, by a low emotionless voice from the darkened doorway.

"Drink, Esther."

Heads shot up, but Esther's eyes went wide as a large smile broke across her face. Whipping around to her bedroom door, Esther saw the blonde and green eyed man just as the rest of them took notice of him. Hugue stood in the doorway expressionless as ever with his trusted sword in his grasp.

"Hugue!" cried Esther with a shinning smile as she put down the glass and ran at the priest. "I've missed you; did you just get back!?"

Abel watched dumbstruck and rather jealously as the red haired teen he'd come to know leapt upon the Methuselah hating Hugue in an energetic embrace. He was further surprised when the stoic blonde actually returned it with a single stiff armed embrace about Esther's shoulders. There was no expression on his face, but in his shocking green eyes, there was a flash of something.

"Umm…" started Abel staring at the other for answers. "…did I miss something…?"

The Professor grinned removing his pipe. "Of all of us, Esther is the closet with Hugue. He was the one spending the most time training her. Who do you think trained her so well in using a sword? Esther related better with Hugue, for obvious reasons, but still…it is odd."

Abel made an "oh" face as he nodded, seeming to understand, but still jealous.

Kate chuckled picking up on Abel's diluted, half hidden put out expression. "Don't worry Abel, Esther looks at Hugue as a teacher; an older brother even and close friend. And surprisingly Hugue thinks of Esther in the same way…though he won't utter a word about it."

That got Abel thinking. "…and his little sister…"

"He located her," stated Havel softly. "Or her grave more like. After she was kidnapped and released or escaped she started a new life. Married and had children with a loving husband. Hugue just got back from his yearly visit to her grave."

All fell silent as they gazed at the pair now walking to them. Abel watched quaintly as the blonde master swordsmen took up the glass Esther had discarded. He held it out to her, the scowl returned to Esther's pale face; she didn't reach for it.

"Drink Esther, your strength will be needed."

Still scowling the teen took it, downing a large swallow of it. "So, what time is the feast?"

"F-Feast!?" exclaimed Abel ecstatic at the mere mention of food, his stomach rumbling in unison; they all laughed at that. More so because of the expression the priest wore due to his embarrassment.

Leon patted the blushing priest's shoulder. "It's for Red's miraculous return, and in one piece no less!"

"And your return as well Abel," added the Professor with a chuckle. "It should be ready soon, but we have to prepare."

Leon groaned. "It's just dinner, there's no need to go overboard!"

Havel helped William shuffle out the load priest. "Esther," Havel called over his shoulder. "See if you can't find something appropriate for Abel to wear. We can't have one of our guests of honor dressed in mutilated priest robes," and with some laughter they were gone.

Esther eyed the robes Abel wore, and sure enough he was showing more skin then cloth covered. Course it was nothing inappropriate but still Sister Kate squealed, blushed and turned her back to Abel. Hugue remained expressionless, but all were sure he found the situation amusing. Esther smirked in mirth; pink did however tinge her cheeks. She had seen Abel without a shirt, this was no different.

"We're leaving Kate," droned Hugue suddenly and he left with a nod to Esther and the holographic nun in his wake.

Esther smiled calmly at their departure, turned to the blue eyed Father. He stood straight a smile on his face; joy clearly seen in his eyes. Abel wasn't crying though, he may do that later, but he radiated happiness, and the redhead was happy because of it.

"Happy to see them obviously," she said smiling.

At her words, Abel gazed down at Esther. "You have no idea…"

"Come on, we'll get you a room and see if we can't find some clothes for you."

He nodded and followed the young woman out of the room in search of his own courters. Things were looking up finally and perhaps, his future held some peace after all. Heaven forbid he deceived it after so long.

- - -

The table was set, with the decorations up and most everyone was present. Abel was present, dressed in the attire of a noble Methuselah. He wore a suit of black, embroidered with silver to match his hair. The jacket was knee length with slits up the sides for more free movement. The pants remained all black till the shining embroidery twirled around the hems and up his legs slightly. The shoes matching the rest of Abel's outfit; silver and black, the only real color on him were his glacial colored eyes.

The other once Vatican members wore their more formal uniforms that bore more emblems of the Empire as well as crosses. Asthe wore her normal attire as well as Earl. Baibars was a silent presence in crimson next to Ion's slightly older grandmother in her purple and pink frills and bows.

Abel spoke happily with his reunited friends, but he was curious on why both Seth and Esther were not there yet. Ice blue eyes off and on trailed to the large dining room doors. The ancient man thought he was being inauspicious about it. However after a time the surrounding clergy chuckled at him.

He pouted. "What?"

Kate smirked, snickering behind her gloved hand. "Why so anxious about Esther?"

"I am not! I'm just curious on where she and Seth are…"

The laughter continued among his friends. Still confused on what so humorous and who the mirth was directed at, Abel asked why. Leon laughed some more, everyone else snickered further except Tres and Hugue; though Hugue didn't give off that absolutely bored look and feel.

"Well, have you even seen Red in a dress?" inquired Dandelion.

Abel blinked, thinking back. "She wore the habits…"

"That doesn't count, she had to wear those. I mean other than that."

The glasses wearing man continued to ponder and Abel came up with a blank. "No…I haven't…"

"Precisely Nightroad," spoke up William. "Esther hates dresses; I'm surprised she wore the habits, even though the reason behind wearing them was absolutely logical. Every time Seth even mentions it Esther blows up; quite amusing really. Esther and Miss Asthe are much alike in that aspect."

Said Methuselah noble glared as a vein pulsed her in her temple.

"Seth is the only one able to get Esther into formal attire…though never a dress" smirked Havel. "…it's still difficult; Kate can't even pressure the young lady into one."

Abel gave a soft smile. "Seth has to order her to put one on then no doubt; hope Esther is alright. Seth has a nasty temper for being so small."

Everyone chuckled at that, the clergy anyway. The Methuselah smirked but no outward mirth was expressed; they would not speak ill of their ruler, even it was such a slight matter. The ones that lacked any expression were as normal, stoic as ever. The dining room doors opening though cut everyone off as their heads spun about.

Seth stood in the doorway, propping the large door open with a hand. The ruler of the Empire was dressed in her normal attire of white and emerald. However, she wasn't looking into the room; rather Seth was gazing and scowling behind her. It puzzled all the others in the room, seeing that they couldn't see through the door.

"Stop fidgeting and struggling," Seth hissed. "You look fine Esther."

Everyone perked up at that, excited to see the spunky redhead in a dress.

"But Seth…" whined Esther out of view.

Green eyes narrowed. "You're already in it so you might as well get in here!"

A deep growl was heard. "Sometimes I really wish I could shoot you Seth."

The perky ruler grinned; her childishness returning at the comment. "That's not something to say to the person you're protecting Esther. Now walk in or do I have to drag you in here?"

The hall filled with snickers at the comment.

"Shut up in there!" cried Esther angrily from where she stood outside the door, trying to silence the clergy and Methuselah with threats; it didn't work. The laughter only continued further. "I'm not going in there like this Seth! I look like a froufrou doll from Hell; they'll laugh at me even more!!"

The Emperor scowled further, reaching further behind the door, Seth dragged the redhead from her hiding place. Breaths caught and eyes bugged out.

Esther stood next to Seth in a black dressed with scarlet and gold accents. The dress was much like Seth's in style being it was short in front and long in back. It wasn't frilly but did flow outward but cut in shaggy pieces, almost looking tattered. Form fitting and strapless, Esther's ruby hair showed brightly against the colors of the dress. Pale porcelain skin looked paler still against the ebony cloth. The warrior girl was breath taking in her dress, the trailing obsidian ribbons up her legs criss-crossing to hold her heeled shoes on.

Silent awe fell over the large room.

Sapphire orbs fell to the floor in shyness as Esther stood there, hand still captured by her Emperor.

"There…that wasn't so hard was it Esther."

The redhead glared from behind her ebony bangs. "It's quiet, they're staring and I look like a made up doll…yea its horrible."

Seth pouted. "You look fine Esther," she turned to the residence of the room. "Doesn't she look great guys!?"

The surrounding clergy shook their heads to clear it of the haze of shock. Soon the dining hall was loud with agreements to Esther's new look. Abel still remained speechless and staring. The ancient man was shaken from his shock by Ion bustling by to stride up to his daughter and Emperor.

Ion kneeled before both. "Your Majesty," began the Earl. "We thank thee from the bottom of our heart; we are overjoyed to see Esther dressed as she should be." Standing he smiled happily as he stared down at a rather pissed looking red haired teen. "You look very nice this evening Esther."

Sapphire eyes narrowed. "Take a picture, it lasts longer." And snatching back her wrist the teen bustled away to the refreshment table. Where the group of priests just so happen to be mainly standing. At her retreating back was a very unhappy Earl, angry no doubt from her quick unladylike departure and rude comment.

The young woman took a glass of ruby liquid and with one backward toss of her head, downed it all. "This sucks…" she hissed out.

"Aww, but Red," droned Leon towering over the young woman. "We all get to see you in a dress finally!"

"My point exactly Dandelion!"

The surrounding clergy chuckled. There was even money exchanging hands, the majority of it making it into the Hispania priest's hands. Leon counted through it gleefully with a wide grin gracing his for once clean shaven face; wouldn't last though.

Esther glared daggers at the man. "You were betting money on me!? What exactly were you betting on!!?"

"That if you wore a dress it would be black," he said grinning as he leaned closer to the young woman and tapping her upturned nose with a finger. "You really are predictable Red! And the fact that you wouldn't be walking in on your, but rather dragged in."

"Ugh!" exhaled Esther in loud frustration, and walking away with another glass in hand; heels making a hallow echo upon the tile. "…stupid priests…they're not even supposed to gamble…" she cured under her breath, finding her way to the patio overlooking the gardens. She continued to mutter curses and vent her irritation with the priests.

"Don't hold it against them too much Esther…they're just having some fun."

Said young woman spun around to find a softly smiling Abel Nightroad standing behind her, hands clasped behind his back. Sapphire eyes traveled up and down the his frame, taking in how the dark cloth accented pale skin and silver mane. Saw how the clothes, though not tight, clung to Abel's tall and thin form, but showing that there was muscle on that frame. Esther couldn't hold back the blush she felt coming so she averted her ogling eyes and face.

"Hello Lord Prince," she breathed. "You look very nice this evening."

Giving his goofy grin the ancient man walked to Esther's side. "Thank you Esther but its strange wearing something else then priest robes; I've grown so used to them. Don't feel like myself really."

She huffed. "You're preaching to the choir Father; I feel the exact same thing right now."

Abel chuckled. "But you pull it off so well though. I must say that I was speechless when Seth dragged you in! You are very beautiful this evening Esther."

Cerulean eyes widened, blinked in shock as a renewed flood of red colored pale cheeks. "I – I…a – a thank you L – Lord Prince…" she stammered; Esther felt like the stereotypical idiotic little girl being complemented by the cutest boy in the room. Losing her voice and stumbling over her words so easily in such an embarrassing fashion irritated her.

Abel smiled further at seeing the blush, but said nothing of it. "Please, just Abel, Esther. I'll be getting enough Lord Prince out of the servants and aristocrats, Terrans even…everyone practically. I'd rather not hear it from you and from my other friends."

"Alright then, then don't call me Guardian."

He scratched the back of his neck, beneath his ponytail; chuckling awkwardly. "I don't even know what that means."

"Good!" chimed the young woman, smiling brightly. "Dinner ready, do you know?"

He nodded, dropping his arm. "I came to get you," and Abel extended his arm, bent at the elbow for the redhead to take.

Smiling as well as blushing, Esther took the offered arm. "Thank you Abel, lead the way."

Arm in arm the two of them entered the dining hall, lively with thrill and happiness. In that instant the terrors, problems, and the thoughts of the impending war with the Orden were lost. Laughing, smiling and a good consumption of alcohol continued into the night and pre-dawn hours. Stories were told of times missed, mainly being interesting and/or humorous. Nothing of what was to be or what had been was spoken of; it was as if time went back and was put at a standstill. It was a night of jovial celebrating. Abel was back, unchanged as ever. Esther was back as well, smiling and laughing so freely much to everyone's surprise; so easy going and carefree. None wished that the night would end.

But all knew it couldn't last. They all thought that in the back of their minds. Nothing good lasted forever, so all were going to make the night last as long as possible and enjoy it to the fullest. After so long of fighting and struggle through the years a small reprieve was appreciated.

Finally the time came to about three in the morning and very few of the party members remained awake. The only ones awake were Seth, Abel, Baibars, the Lady Mirka Fortuna, Sister Kate and Tres. All the other lay asleep or in an unconscious stupor. Leon lay unconscious on the hall's floor, a smile upon his face and a class on the floor beside him. The wine like substance of that glass spilled across the ivory marble floor. Hugue sat against the wall asleep, but should he need to be awakened would have been instantly. The Professor sat at the table, sleeping upon it; pipe in hand while he drooled on the table cloth. Havel, as a man of always pristine elegance, slept on the sofa in the sitting area of the hall, one leg over an arm of the furniture. Ion sat in a tall back chair at the table, head thrown back; one leg over an arm of the chair, one arm hanging uselessly at by his side, while the other rested on his stomach. Much to everyone's surprise, the noblemen actually let out a soft snore once and a while. Course the red tinge to his cheeks was reason enough for them all to believe it just could have been because he drank too much; much like everyone else. Asthe sat more dignified in her slumber, head tilted slightly to the side, arms hanging over the arms of the dinner chair.

The sight of it all made those awake smirk and snuff out their fits of laughter.

Seth grinned at Asthe as she stood by her chair. "I think we pooped them out. This would make great blackmail," she snickered, grinning evilly; mischief clear in Seth's eyes.

Abel chuckled, he said nothing outwardly, but he mentally agreed with his little sister. The dinner and party was just what they all needed; what Esther and he needed especially.

Looking to the redhead, the Crusnik found Esther asleep on the windowsill overlooking the gardens just outside. She was curled up on her side, back to the window. One leg lay on the cushion sill, while the other hanging just above floor. The crimson crown rested on the arm Esther used as a makeshift pillow. The other hand hung over the side, much like her leg, but dangling from her unconscious fingers was an empty glass. A rosy tinge on her pale cheeks much like Ion or Leon only not nearly as prominent, made Abel smile. She looked so young and fragile right then.

Seth stood at her sibling's side. Abel hadn't noticed her move being that he was intently staring at the young unconscious woman. "She's quite the girl isn't she."

It wasn't a question, but rather an observation; he nodded anyway. "She's certainly something alright. When we were on the run she was a constant unmovable force; pushing forward no matter what, even when it was causing her so much pain. And now," Abel breathed, eyeing the unconscious girl. "Esther looks like your normal teenage girl that just had her first party where she was allowed to drink."

Seth's jade green eyes sparkled. "You've really grown fond of her haven't you." It was another clear observation and comment.

The priest blushed and remained silent.

"Your Majesty, Lord Prince?" spoke the Lady Duke.

Siblings' heads turned to find Ion's lady grandmother behind them. Baibars was at her side, and in his arms bridle style was the unconscious Ion himself; snoring lightly away. Both Seth and Abel had to struggle no to burst into laughter and ruin the moment by waking Ion up.

Lady Mirka smiled as well. "We thank thee Your Majesty for the wonderful evening, but we believe it is time for our departure," and she gave a bow.

Seth nodded. "We thank thee for coming Lady Mirka. We will see thee again soon."

"Good day Your Majesty, Lord Prince." And they were walking out the door.

Abel looked about the room at the other slumbering individuals. "What should we do with the rest of them?"

Seth shrugged. "Why not leave them; they'll wake up on their own eventually. The servants will pick up when they're all gone," she said, finishing with a yawn. "Don't know about you, but I'm dead tired; I'm going to bed…don't wake me unless the sky is falling…"

"Esther?" Abel inquired.

The Emperor tilted her head, and then winked up at her big brother. "Take her to her room please. She needs sleep in an actual bed; it'll help heal the remaining injuries." Seth turned away and gave a fleeting wave. "Night Abel," and the tails of her dress were gone out the door.

Looking back down at Esther, Abel saw her give a content deep sleepy sigh. With a soft smile he kneeled and took the teen in his arms; she weighed so little for being as strong as she was. Gently Abel maneuvered her head so it rested against his chest comfortably as he held the young woman close; carrying her bridle style. Gracefully and fluidly he left the hall behind, careful not to jostle the unconscious teen in his arms. In that instant the clumsy priest became a surefooted.

All the while to her room, Abel continued to stare at Esther's sleeping face. She was so peaceful in her slumber; so innocent. It made him wonder, if things had been different how she would have ended up. Abel didn't let it bother him as much it might have. Esther was who she was and he wouldn't have it any other way, unfortunate as it was.

The staring continued; drinking in her unguarded expression. Abel took note of every freckle, every curve of Esther's face, committing it all to memory. The more Abel looked the more he found the differences between his Sister Esther and his new redheaded guardian friend; his "little star". Sister Esther didn't have a group of dark freckles that made a triangle on her left cheek bone. The Queen even had her brows naturally tilt down to create a natural innocent look; those brows and lashes even being a dark burgundy rather than Esther's black. Where the young nun had been thin, her daughter was thin but lean; body toned with used muscles. There really were visual differences once he really looked. Abel was finally seeing Esther for herself, when he should have been doing so in the very beginning.

"…sorry…" he whispered softly in her ear as he pushed the bedroom door open.

His eyes easily adjusted to the darkness, and Abel made his way to Esther's king sized bed. Maneuvering her carefully intone arm, Abel pulled the covers back, and laid his charge down. Tugging delicately at the knots to her shoes, he pulled them free of her feet, placing them carefully under the silky sheets. Esther snuggled into pillows and blankets, sighing contently as a small smile played across her face.

Abel smiled at the scene before going about the room and closing the balcony door and pulling closed curtains. He returned to the bedside soon after, staring down at the young woman. With care he stroked aside those natural black bangs of hers, the silken strands caressing his bare hand.

"Good night Esther," he whispered softly, barely hearing himself as he leaned closer to the sleeping girl. "…sleep well…" And braving it, he placed a fleeting, butterfly soft kiss upon Esther's brow.

With a soft sigh and smile Esther curled closer to him, making Abel smile further.

That smile still spread across his face, the silver haired priest walked away. Opening the door, he gazed back, watching the young woman that had watched over him for so long and in dark solitude no less. In that instant Abel realized that Esther had in fact gotten under his skin; wormed her way into his heart without him know. Just like her mother had so long ago…Abel was curious on how far that worming would go.

"Sweet dreams Esther…"

The heavy door closed behind him; silent as the night.

**A/N: **There we have it! Another chapter up and it all fluffy and crap! ^_^ It's a nice reprieve from all the chaos that's been happening / pilling up for Abel and Esther. Who's happy that I brought back the Vatican AX members? *raises hand* I told you it would be a twist…and I honestly didn't plan on doing it when I started this fic. See, even an authoress like myself doesn't always know what's going to happen. But I do feel bad for making you all wait. I've been hounded by a friend to update so, now I have. Hope you all like it!

**PLEASE REVIEW!!! IT MAKES ME HAPPY ^_^**


	19. Serpent In The Eden of Twilight

Disclaimer: I would love to claim that I own Trinity Blood…and say Abel was ALL MINE!! But unfortunately as we all know, I do not and it SUCKS!!!

**Last Time:**

"Good night Esther," he whispered softly, barely hearing himself as he leaned closer to the sleeping girl. "…sleep well…" And braving it, he placed a fleeting, butterfly soft kiss upon Esther's brow.

With a soft sigh and smile Esther curled closer to him, making Abel smile further.

That smile still spread across his face, the silver haired priest walked away. Opening the door, he gazed back, watching the young woman that had watched over him for so long and in dark solitude no less. In that instant Abel realized that Esther had in fact gotten under his skin; wormed her way into his heart without him know. Just like her mother had so long ago…Abel was curious on how far that worming would go.

"Sweet dreams Esther…"

The heavy door closed behind him; silent as the night.

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XIX-Serpents In the Eden of Twilight**

After such a long night of drinking, partying and marry-making it was no surprise that no one was up before noon. The ones in the hall had gradually risen enough to trudge and groggily stumble back to their personal chambers, only to sleep more. Silently hoping the hangovers would go away upon waking. Where the Emperor normally rose not long after dawn, she was the first one awake as the noon bell tolled over the capital.

Rather than the personal bodyguard of the Emperor rising with her as it was expected, instead it was the Lord Prince who rose second. Now on the young ruler of the Empire's shaded patio, the siblings shared a noon meal.

Abel gave a happy sigh as he took a large sip of his tea with 13 spoonfuls of sugar. "Ahh…that hits the spot…"

Seth chucked as she sipped her straight tea. "After all this time, you still have to have tea like that. How you're not dead or on a constant sugar high, I'll never know."

Abel just grinned before biting down on his rather large sandwich, once swallowed he asked the question that had long since been plaguing him.

"Seth…?"

"Hmm?"

Turning his head, glacial orbs sought out the balcony door to a certain young girl's bedroom. "Esther…I've heard Tres call her Guardian multiple times…as well as other servants. I want to know why?"

Jade eyes wandered to the same closed doors. "She's called that because she is the Guardian Abel; she guarded your supposed 'grave' for a long time. Before she even did that, she was my guardian; my personal bodyguard, among other things. By wearing just a little of my color she is recognized for who she is."

The words _"among other things"_ bothered the Vatican man. Abel raised a brow at his younger sister. "What else is she to you? What else does she do that you're not telling me?"

Seth glowered. "You're making it sound like I own her and have her do all the dirty work around the Empire?! She does everything of her own free will Abel; Esther is my friend after all. I wouldn't put her in a situation she didn't care for, but she's my eyes and ears around my kingdom. People know my face now, majorly anyway, so she is my information collector and bodyguard."

He nodded, smiling softly. "She really is a Guardian then; everyone's Guardian Angel."

"In a way she is," stated Seth with a small smirk.

The young child like ruler was further cut off when the balcony doors to said individual's room burst open. From the darkened depths of the room came a darkly clad figure. Leaping over the balcony's railing, the figure fell five stories if not more. Abel gabbed dumbstruck as Seth merely sighed and shook her head.

"…that girl really dislikes doors…" she murmured as the redhead made her way to them with a wide hurried stride.

Esther wore tight, black leather pants, a pair of black knee-high lace up boots with a heel; decorated with silver filigree. The jacket she wore was long, flapping behind her, designed to look like the flapping wings of a Swallowtail Butterfly. The high collar would have went right up to mouth her it if hadn't been undone; this too was decorated with silver designs associated with the Empire's fashion. The top Esther wore beneath that clung to her curves; looking much like something Asthe would wear in style. Black was the main, repeated color, with the silver accenting it, but on the outfit splashes of emerald was seen. The only other colors she wore were the crimson color of Esther's hair and the sapphire eyes she gazed through.

To Abel, Ester looked in pristine order if it hadn't been for her strain and exhausted expression as she stopped at the arch of the pergola.

"Esther, you alright?!" he asked anxiously.

An eye flickered to him, but quickly went to the Emperor. "Seth…where are my pills? I can't find them anywhere…and I need them now!" Esther's urgency to have them did not go unnoticed; her jaw was clenched and hands fisted at her sides. But those eyes of hers as if against their own will traveled to Abel; eyeing not his face, but rather his neck. "…quickly Seth…" she hissed out in a pleading voice.

See that Esther was really struggling to control herself, Seth nodded quickly. "I have a new bottle here," she stated and pulled out a glass jar full of ruby pills, tossing them to the teen.

Snatching them from the air, Esther quickly unscrewed it and threw back two tablets. Without a word she turned her back; stepping a few feet away. Silence ensued as the pills quickly took hold. When she finally turned back to Nightroad siblings, Esther was smiling.

"Sorry about that," she said. "Hope I didn't ruin your meal."

Abel shook his head enthusiastically. "Not at all! Sleep well Esther?"

She blinked as red tinged her cheeks, but nodded. "Yea…slept better than I have in quite some time. Thank you for taking me to my room last night Abel…" Said priest just smiled wildly, eyes wrinkled up in a happy expression.

Seth chuckled eyeing the two with a mischievous grin. "That's good, you'll need all the recuperation you can get for you next assignment."

The redhead perked up at that. "What's my assignment Your Majesty?"

"Why…look after Abel of course," she smirked with a wink.

"What!?!" cried the two in perfect unison.

"I'm not guarding you Your Majesty?!"

"Seth, I don't need looking after! I'm a grown man!!" protesting Abel, though the whining voice he used to prove was a grown man counterproductive.

The smoldering look given to them both by Seth quickly silenced the pair in the middle of their protests. "I am the ruler of this kingdom and both of you are under my protection. I will choose when and how you are protected Abel, and you will be protected; babysat if it must be. Just because you're in the Empire doesn't mean you're completely safe; Rosen Kreuz reaches even here." Seth then turned to Esther. "And you will protect Abel Esther. You're the best we have and Abel's safety is priority over myself."

Esther opened her mouth to protest further.

"Nahuh! No buts!! You're guarding Abel and that's final! Now no complaining from either of you! Am I clear?!"

Both Abel and Esther nodded; eyes down. Seth was young in appearances, but when she wanted to and when needed she radiated an aura of authority. She was a great and wise ruler, and she wasn't afraid to use that fact. Both individuals and seen/inspired her temper and they didn't wish to do so right then.

"Yes, Your Majesty…" they droned heads bowed slightly.

"Good," perked up the teen now all cheery; Seth's mood swings were sure to give anyone whiplash. "Now, you sit down and eat with us Esther! When we're done you can take Abel out and walk about the Empire." Seth grinned broadly at her older brother. "You never got a chance to really enjoy my kingdom last time when you were sneaking around I'm sure."

The priest chuckled. "No I didn't, I look forward to it."

"I suggest against it," deadpanned Esther, eyes narrowed and standing ram-rode straight at Abel's shoulder; she really did look like a bodyguard then and there to Abel's surprised eyes. "Taking the Lord Prince out Your Majesty will let our enemy know he's about. His safety is at risk in public and the Lord Prince's life is the top priority as you, yourself stated Your Majesty."

Seth sigh, a hand to her brow. "…this girl is unbelievable…" she breathed to Abel, but Esther obviously heard by her sour look. "You're taking you job way too serious Esther, Abel is a Crusnik as you well know. Killing him isn't as easy as you're letting it be. Both of you will be protecting each other, that's why I'm doing this."

Esther scowled. "I don't need protecting Seth," snapped the redhead.

The green eyed Emperor cocked a brow, face becoming stern once more. "Oh yes, you did a great job on protecting yourself on the way here; perfectly. Do I have to remind you Guardian that you were in worse shape than Abel was and it was due to your own stubbornness no less?" Esther said nothing as she scowled at the ground; Seth continued. "Abel's not the only wanted target Es, and you know it. Now I'm talking no more on the matter; my decision is final."

Seth rose as the two individuals remained mute as they nodded their heads once more.

"Got out you two," Seth said with an encouraging sweet smile. "Have some fun for once, you both deserve it. Just…put on some less flashy clothing. Low aristocratic or Terran civilian would work."

With that Augusta Vladica mad her exit, leaving Abel and Esther to their own devices. Different pairs of blue eyes met in silence before small smile broke across both of their faces.

"Come on then Lord Prince, I'll show you around."

———

Now here Esther stood, brow raised as she took in the once priest with his arms half full with bags of every kind of sweet imaginable from the Empire. She had taken Abel around historical sites, some jut pretty, and the districts the Terran and Methuselah resided in. But the instant she took him to the shopping district on the Methuselah side of the river, Abel went berserk. Hopping from one candy store to the next, just like every child in a candy store. Esther found it odd, as well as humorous, but above all else…rather exhausting in more ways than one.

She sighed. "…Abel…don't you have enough sweets? You have enough here to give the whole Empire cavities…"

The man with his face clued to the candy store window shook his head enthusiastically. "You can never have too many sweets! Besides, maple sugar runs through my veins, as I have told you before."

Esther groaned. "That's beside the point Abel…" she breathed, agitated by the strange, not always friendly looks Abel was getting from the passing Methuselah aristocrats. They recognized her, even when she wasn't wearing even a speck of emerald and in Terran civilian clothing, because of her damn hair color no less. Abel wasn't recognized luckily, or that would have caused more scandal then she would have liked to report on. Sighing some more, she adjusted her arms to hold the many bags of candy she held.

"Not too many sweets huh; I beg to differ. I can't wait to hear you say that when you're groaning in agony because of the many cavities you're gonna get." The man never heard her, engrossed in watching the candy being made before his very eyes. "Lord Prince please…we have enough. The sun is going to set soon and I want to take you to my favorite garden park."

Over his shoulder, Abel looked at her; eyes curious behind his wire rimmed glasses. "Your favorite park, Esther?"

"Yes, I think you'll like it. It's one of the few places I can relax and just think, or not think for that matter."

Straightening, Abel turned to face his guide dressed in her Terran clothing. Black pants snug and plain except for a few simple white trimmings and designs. The heeled boots she wore going up to her knees over said pants. While the shirt Esther wore was snug as well, identical to the one Sister Esther had worn upon entering the Empire. The outfit was plain, but to Abel's eyes very fetching.

"Alright then," he said with a smile and eye wrinkle. "Lead the way; we'll go back once done."

A bright smile spread across Esther's face; the kind that had been so rare when they first met.

Calling down a strange vehicle that floated rather than use wheels, she gestured for Abel to get in first. The ancient man did and Esther followed then proceeded to ramble off their destination in the language of the Empire. It was too fast for Abel's rusty skills to translate so he just sat back to wait; throwing a sweet into his mouth once and a while. Esther sat back as well as the vehicle made its way down the streets of the Empire. Though busy being it was becoming evening, it was oddly serene. Birds were chirping; people were talking but the bustle far safer than in Terran cities. The weather was nice; not to warm, not to cool, with only a small breeze smelling of the ocean kicking up once and a while. Abel found himself relax and calm; he was happy, actually, really happy.

Esther saw the small sincere smile of happiness gracing Abel's handsome face. She was happy to see him smiling so care freely. With a past like his finding reasons to keep on smiling were few, she would know. Yet even when he gave those goofy grins of his, she knew those were not always as sincere as they came off as. Abel would smile at the darkest moments, just in the hope to bring some light to the situation.

So in silence Abel and Esther watching the scenery go by. After about a fifteen minute drive the driver halted on a straight road with trees on either side. Green grass was every, lush and cut perfectly. Flowerbeds were everywhere, and everything seemed to either be flowering or had such colorful leaves, flowers weren't necessary. Flocks of beautifully colored birds were dotting the grass or perched in the shading trees, as well as around people who were feeding them. It all was a beautiful and breath taking.

The silver haired man gapped as he took in the park. "Esther…this place is gorgeous…words alone could put this place to justice…"

The redhead chuckled softly as she opened the door. "I think so too. Welcome to the Garden of Eden, Abel."

Stepping out, Esther took the gapping man's hand to Abel from tumbling out of the carriage. Glacial eyes swept over the park, a soft smile gracing the handsome and pale face. Esther smile as well and help up a hand so a near passing by butterfly could land on it.

Abel looked down at his companion, seeing the swallowtail on her finger he smiled even further. "Eden…this place sure looks like it could be…"

The teen cocked her head to the side slightly. "Yea…you could say this is my Eden…care for a tour Lord Prince?"

"I would love one, but Esther please, like I said before just call me Abel," he stated he extended a hand to act as a landing pad for another butterfly. "I think we've been through enough together to be able to address each other by name."

The young woman stared up at the once yet still priest, and then looked away toward the few peacock like birds nearby. "If you want me to so badly Abel…just know there are cases where I will call you by title. On with the tour then?"

With a wide smile he nodded.

Through the park Esther led, calling each portion of the wide garden accordingly. The Butterfly Garden was swarming with said creatures; as colorful as a rainbow and not just because of the variety of butterflies but flowers as well. The flowers attracting them were in full bloom and every color imaginable. When Esther stepped down a path to said garden she was swarmed in the little fragile winged insects. Her jovial laughter was like bells to Abel's ears and she blamed the occurrence on her hair.

Continuing on she led the legendary man to an orchard of flowering trees of soft pinks and whites. Esther called them Cherry Trees, only found in the Empire and the last few in the nation of origin; Japan, one of the few countries that still had its name from before Armageddon. Abel found it to be a very calming place and the small birds singing their songs were nature's serene music.

There was so much to see in the Garden of Eden, and all of it took Abel's breath away. But the last place Esther took him he liked the most. It was an abnormally large stone fountain, functioning as a pond. Deep enough for rather large multi-colored fish to swim around in with Lily pads and blooming flowers floating about the water's surface. Esther called the fish Koi and stuck a finger in to have a smaller black, orange, and white fish nibble at it; her giggles rang through the air once more.

The spouting center piece of the fountain was what appeared to be a human-fish cross, a mermaid as fairytales said. A blossoming young woman with flowing hair carved from stone and a perfectly detailed Koi tail. Arms wrapped around her to conceal her exposed torso, but more so appearing in an embrace of herself; her lover no doubt missing.

Esther sat atop the stone rim, twirling her finger about the water, creating small ripples. The action caused more Koi to make their way to her and nibble her petite digits.

"This place is truly beautiful…" Abel breathed, sitting himself down beside his companion, enjoying the sight of the joy glowing from Esther's face. "Thank you for bring me here Ester."

Cerulean eyes sparkled merrily as Esther smiled up at him. "It was a pleasure Abel. When living in a world like ours, places like this are few, but precious. Keeping the burdens of life at bay; giving us a reprieve if only for a moment."

The glasses wearing priest couldn't have agreed more. Removing his glove, Abel reached out to stick his hand in the cool dark waters, when a hiss caught his attention. Looking up, he found Esther serious and sapphire orbs piercing.

"What—"

"Don't move an inch Abel…" Esther hissed out, lifting both hands slowly. "If you look down carefully to your left, in the water by your side, there's a water snake. It'll bite you if you move even the slightest bit…" she whispered.

Looking down slowly and carefully, sure enough, there in the water nearest his side was a camouflaged water serpent. Yellow cat like eyes only for him, forked tongue flickering out tasting him from the taste in the air it seemed. Abel didn't move; stayed perfectly still. The red blaze on the snake's brow led him to believe it was poisonous, along with Esther's seriousness. Everything seemed to be at a standstill till everything began in a flash.

The snake drew back, just as Esther shot out her hands to snatch it. Before his very eyes he watched venom dripping fangs meet flesh that wasn't his own. When Esther wrapped her hands around the serpent's neck, she accidently placed one hand in its open maw. She gave a pained hiss before ripping her hand from the thing's mouth. Her other hand wrapped around its neck just behind the head; tail whipping about as Esther glared fire and daggers at the snake.

"Damn Devil's Horn, "she seethed. "These things have been killing more and more animals here, even some unlucky Terran. The poison can fall a full man in about a minute sometimes less...depending on where bitten."

Abel gapped horrorstruck as he snatched up Esther's bleeding hand, fang marks very prominent against her pale skin. "But you were bitten! We need to get you help immediately Esther!!"

She gave a hollow laugh, stilling glaring at the serpent in her clutches. "I'm fine Abel. I have immunity to poisons."

At her words the snake seemed to understand and in anger of this fact swept its tail about like a whip to slap right across Esther's left cheek. Snarling, she instantly snapped the things neck like a fragile dry twig; flinging it aside after. Her eyes though returned to the trembling hand Abel still held.

"Course…" she said through clenched fangs and more pained snarls. "…doesn't' keep it from hurting so much…" Esther squeezed her eyes shut trying to keep from letting a whimper escape her throat.

His brows creased in worry as Abel brought the trembling limb closer to his face for inspection. "Why is it called the Devil's Horn?" he asked wiping away the still flowing blood to reveal swollen holes.

"Because…of the red mark on its head looks like horns and when the poison is injected it's…very painful. People complain as if feeling as if on fire or their insides are melting from liquid fire…before they die…" she hissed somewhere trying not to clench her fist, which would only make it worse. "…I have to say I agree with them…the venom is thick, but fast….creating that lava like sensation…damn it!!" she cried as another wave of pain caused more than just her hand to tremble in agony.

Esther clenched her jaw shut as a wave of pain racked through her body. Abel's worry deepened. It may not kill her, but the pain he saw her going through was agony to watch.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay Esther," he asked seeing how sweat was beginning to dampen her brow as she struggled not to wither in agony.

She stared up at him with an exhausted expression she tried to hide. "Oh, I'm fine! I'll live, don't worry. The poison will run through my system soon enough…"

The Crusnik didn't like that fact at all. "…poison can sometimes be sucked out…" he stated off handedly.

At the comment Esther blushed and blinked in shock. Abel however, didn't notice, due to the fact that he was bent over the young woman's hand and wrapping his mouth about Esther's hand. The young redhead flinched at the slight pain of blood and poison being drawn from her body. The fact that her blood was being swallowed by Abel, Crusnik 02, wasn't lost to her. Abel was gentle as he always was with her, but that didn't keep him from enjoying the blood.

So silently Esther let Abel do what he wanted; it was to help her after all. She just let her head rest on his shoulder as she softly smiled and blushed at the contact. There however, was a dark thought that plagued Esther's mind; keeping her from enjoying her treasured priest's attention to the fullest.

"…_even this Eden…is subject to conniving snakes…"_

———

Now back at the palace, it was well past sunset, and already the sky was dark and the stars shone brightly in the navy sky. Esther was leading Abel back to his chambers. Without even thinking about it, she was stroking the makeshift bandage on her left hand. It was some of Abel's white undershirt, ripped in strips to wrap around her hand and bite. Esther blushed again as she thought back on what the man at her side had done.

"Does your hand still hurt Esther?" inquired the object of the teen's thoughts.

"Oh, no! My hand feels fine. Thank you Lord Prince."

He sighed. "I said to call me Abel…Guardian," he said playfully. "How many times am I going to have to remind you Esther?"

"Who knows," she said with a chuckle. "But within the palace walls I have to use your title," Esther stated in a matter of fact way as she opened the doors to Abel's bedroom. "I have to speak with the Emperor now, but I will come get you for dinner; so please stay here. You could take a nap; we did after all have a long day."

He nodded. "Alright…a nap actually sounds good right about now. Now don't keep Seth waiting; she gets annoyed if kept waiting."

Esther chuckled. "Don't I know it! Now don't get into any trouble while I'm gone…Priest." With that the redhead closed the door and strode down the hall; chuckling at the cute put out expression on Abel's face before she left.

Her heels echoed off the walls as the Guardian made her way to the Council Chamber. When the guard had rushed up to Esther and Abel he said the Emperor wanted to see her. His expression and stance was that of someone nervous. Seth had to have been extremely agitated for a Yeniceri warrior to act in such a way. Now Esther was anxious and hurrying to the where she was asked with full quick strides; she wanted to get to the bottom of all this. Pushing the open the large ornate doors that belonged to the Council Hall, Esther got more of an eyeful then she ever expected.

"Why in the bloody hell is there an AutoJaeger on the table!!?"

All heads turned. It wasn't just Seth present; Asthe was there, along with Baibars, Ion and Mirka. Even some members of the AX were there. Everyone stood at Esther's sudden entrance and declaration, but all remained grim faced.

"What's going on?" Esther asked again when no one spoke. Taking up her place at the end of the long table, her sapphire eyes stared down the silent individuals around her.

It was the young ruler that came forward with Esther's answer. "When you and Abel were off today, I found an AutoJaeger infiltrating the palace. Acting instantly I cut it down, only to realize later that it was below the wing you and Abel are residing in. The fact that the Contra Mondi can get so close worries me…"

Esther's face hardened as it went pale from the close call. _"As we all should be…"_ she thought. "Any ideas on how this happened? Or suggestions on how to keep this from occurring again?"

"That's what we were discussing before your arrival Esther," stated Havel. "Your insight would be most useful in this situation."

The redhead nodded as her eyes trailed to the animated corpse of a slain Methuselah. The one upon the table was different than the others Esther had seen and fought. This one was leaner, less bellowing cloth and all black clothing. The eyes were hidden behind green goggles rather than the normal red. Laid out beside it was an assortment of weapons. This all pointed to something Esther did not like in the least.

Her sapphire orbs narrowed to near slits. "It's an assassin AutoJaeger…Marionetten Spieler has been a busy boy…" she seethed under her breath.

The pipe smoking Professor hurried closer to the table from his spot against the wall to take in the young woman's observations. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm positive. Look at its build," she said gesturing to the body. "The others were bulky, using brute strength as well as natural strength. The clothes were long hanging jackets while these have no excess clothing. This one was built specifically to blend with its surroundings, while remaining swift and agile. The night vision goggles enhance no doubt the already superior vision of the Methuselah. Then there are the weapons; all small but deadly, used in close courters. All these point to the conclusion that this AutoJaeger was attempting to assassinate Abel, or myself; without being seen."

Hushed and tense silence hung over the room before a voice split it like a hot knife to butter.

"And right you are…Star of Albion…"

At the cultured, silky yet dark velvet voice, heads snapped to the screen on the far wall. There, in perfect pristine detail was Isaak's face; gentle and haunting smile in place.

"Von Kampfer!" snarled out Esther, hands slamming against the long table as she surged to her feet. She glared down its length at the Panzer Magiel, too livid to say anything else.

The Methuselah chuckled darkly. "Yes, dear Esther, it's nice to see you again. Standing and in one piece no less; I admit I was worried about your health. "

Esther snarled; unable to fight the shiver that trailed down her spine at how Isaak's dark eyes burrowed into her. "Like hell you were!! You must have known Abel and I were alright or you wouldn't have sent this AutoJaeger after us! What do you want Von Kampfer, because you do nothing without reason!"

Isaak smirked. "Yes…very astute of you, little Star." The snarl he received made the Magician smirk even further. "What I have, is a warning to you all…from Master Cain."

A shiver traveled down the redhead's spine as the atmosphere in the room became even heavy and strained. Esther was very glad in that instant that Abel was not there to hear this, he would be livid and most likely on the war path.

Seth turned fully to the screen, standing strong; no one seemed to care anymore how Kampfer had even gotten through the security system to project the message. "And the warning from 01?" she asked frigidly, face blank.

Isaak's eyes turned to the small statured Crusnik girl. "Why, it's the girl Emperor herself. What a pleasure it is to finally speak with you in person Lady Seth." And he gave a one of his respectable bows from where ever he was in the world.

"It's Augusta Vladica to you Panzer Magiel, now give us this warning; I'm growing impatient."

"Very well, but the warning sits upon your table before us all to see. The Orden knew that Lord Abel and Lady Esther lived; knew where their rooms were. I know that Esther took Abel to Garden of Eden this afternoon, and was bitten by a Devil's Horn."

The still standing redhead glared at the table as her bandaged hand tightened into a fist. Esther was livid at the fact that Isaak knew of such a personal outing. A private moment she had come to treasure was stolen right out from under her.

"Your point being you conniving snake," Esther seethed out through clenched fangs.

Isaak gave a soft mocking smile as he turned his knowing gaze to the young woman. "Did I hit a soft spot Esther?" droned the Methuselah darkly with mirth. "But the point is that you may be in the Empire but even there the Orden's grasp exists; stronger then you all ever knew, not safe even in your own home."

All of them assumed as much, but the fact that Isaak knew what Abel and Ester had done was startling. The Orden could possibly know every move they made. Eyes of the other residence of the room went from the grinning Panzer Magiel to the pale and trembling Esther, whether from fury or subdued fear no one knew. Everyone was deathly quiet.

"So Esther, what will you do, now that you precious Crusnik is still in danger. You're only safe option is to face us at last in a final battle. Of course that depends if Lord Abel survives long enough to face Master Cain."

Shock and fear gripped the teen with an iron grip as she head shot up to eye Von Kampfer with wide eyes. "Abel!!"

Isaak broke out in soft sinister chuckle. "Yes, Esther…Abel…you precious 02."

Before anyone could think to ask what the matter was Esther was crashing through the windows in a blur of 'Haste'. In the echo of Von Kampfer's haunting laughter, the young woman was leaping to across balconies to get to the wing Abel resided in. Her body taut with battle tension and anxiousness; Abel was alone and unguarded in his room. Isaak's message of warning was serving as a distraction as well. Esther felt like such an idiot for falling for a basic trick; her fury at Isaak's very appearance blocking all thought.

Coming to a stop on the railing of her balcony, Esther sniffed and smelt what she knew was already there. There on the cool night air was the scent of the monsters now stalking Abel in his own chambers. Snarling, the once pure blue eyes Esther possessed began an unholy crimson; glowing strongly in the night. With one giant leap that cracked the stone railing, Esther was landing in a crouch on Abel's balcony, staring into his darkened room.

There, standing silently above the sleeping priest's prone form was a group of three assassin AutoJaegers. All of them held a sharpened weapon in hand; raised and ready to impale the world's last hope of defense against the mad Crusnik Cain Knightlord. Every fiber in Esther's being was feral with limitless fury; a growl vibrated deep in her chest. Hearing her growl, the animated corpses' heads spun. Attention now on Esther rather than their mission.

"Get away from him…" she said deathly soft.

They raised their weapons; gleaming in the moonlight.

"…die…"

With a burst of 'Haste' Esther was upon them instantly. The small statured girl she was managing to rip through one Jaeger's throat with her claws; killing it instantly. With two left, Ester was upon them in a flash. With the snarling and growling accompanied with the scuffle, Abel was startled awake. What he found was a heart stopping shock.

"…dear God…ESTHER!!"

Said teen was in a hand to hand combat with the last two AutoJaegers. Esther held a Jaeger's long dagger at bay with her already bandaged hand, while battling the animated hands crushing her throat. She was very obviously in a bad situation, but Esther was a fighter till the bitter end. With all her strength she kicked back the AutoJaeger at her throat, forcing it to crash across the room and over furniture. Then snatching the blade away from her enemy, she decked the walking corpse, causing it to back away.

No sooner had she finished, was Esther on her knees; coughing and hacking as she held her aching throat. In her delirious state of near suffocation, Esther was defenseless and unable to see the oncoming enemies that were coming up on her back.

"Esther!! LOOK OUT!!!"

Her head shot up to see the two AutoJaegers coming at her. Too shocked and blurry eyed to do anything, Esther just squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the pain. But instead of pain, there was just the sound of liquid hitting the floor and heavy wet thumps of objects falling.

Slowly opening an eye, Esther found that both assassinating Methuselah were slain with their heads cleaning cut off.

She blinked. "…wha…"

"Are you alright Esther?"

Recognizing the deeper and darker voice, she was not surprised to see who it was when she looked up. There standing above her was the Crusnik; Abel standing straight and still taut with tension of the almost assassination and her death. His grip on his scythe was strong; crimson eyes barring down at her with a concern yet serious air.

"…yea…I'm alright…but they were after you…"

Kneeling and setting aside his scythe, the transformed priest took up Esther's bleeding hand to examine the damage. Then Abel gripped her chin softly in his clawed grasp, lifting it to see her nearly crushed neck.

Esther gently grasped his wrist; halting him in his action as she looked him directly in the eye. "I said I was alright Abel…"

Ruby eyes burrowed into steady blue. "You're the wounded, not me," he said sternly, taking hold of the redhead's hands gently and helping her to her feet.

Murmuring a soft thanks, Esther's eyes returned to the dead and mutilated Methuselah. An odd assortment of emotions crossed Esther's face as she took in the mess upon Abel's floor. _"No Eden seems to be safe…from treacherous serpents…"_

———

**A/N: There we are, another chapter done; told you all that I would get another chapter out before too long :D. Hope you enjoyed it!! Things are starting to really speed up, so keep watching for updates. There was some foreshadowing in this chapter…but I hope I kept it visible without giving you all too much to work with…I'm so evil! Till next time!! **

***BLAZE***


	20. Time Is All We Have I

Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood nor do I own any of its character…I just own this wicked plot! ;D

A/N: I apologize for the way late update…*sigh then bangs head against wall*…I have no excuses -__-

**Last Time:**

Esther gently grasped his wrist; halting him in his action as she looked him directly in the eye. "I said I was alright Abel…"

Ruby eyes burrowed into steady blue. "You're the wounded, not me," he said sternly, taking hold of the redhead's hands gently and helping her to her feet.

Murmuring a soft thanks, Esther's eyes returned to the dead and mutilated Methuselah. An odd assortment of emotions crossed Esther's face as she took in the mess upon Abel's floor. _"No Eden seems to be safe…from treacherous serpents…"_

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XX – Time Is All We Have I**

"So in short, we have no choice but to confront Cain and the rest of the Orden," stated Abel from where he sat at the council table.

His brows were furrowed and his mouth set in a thin lipped frown, the eyes behind his classes smoldering with ire. The Crusnik of the Vatican was just debriefed on what happened while he had been taking a nap. Abel was furious at Von Kampfer, the man seriously pissed him off, and Abel was not easily pissed off. The Mechanical Magician issued a warning and an undernoted declaration of war in the very same breath, all the while ordering Abel's assassination.

Seth nodded. "We know that your safety wasn't guarantied here, but I didn't know that it was this bad. I must apologize, brother."

Abel's expression softened as he took in his younger sibling's guilty expression. "That's not necessary Seth; I knew something like this was bound to happen. I let my guard down; it's my fault. Let's just be glad Esther understood Von Kampfer enough to know what he was planning."

The young ruler wanted to protest, but remained silent.

"So, do we have a plan or are we just going to barge in?" inquired a rather bored Asthe.

"We'll need a plan," stated William, pipe in mouth as he continued to think deeply. "The Orden is sure to have a plan themselves, rushing in would be our downfall."

Silence befell the council chamber as everyone began to think up a plan.

"Esther," suddenly stated the normally silent Huggue. "She will be needed to infiltrate the palace."

Seth nodded to that. "She's the only one alive that knows the palace's layout; down to every waterway and secret tunnel. Her cooperation though, maybe hard to get…"

That caught Abel's attention. "Why? I would think she'd be more than happy to help. She despises Cain and the Orden as much as we do, if not more so."

The ruler of the Empire's brows furrowed as she stared at the table. "The likeliness that she'd go back to the island is slim. Esther hates that place more than the people in control of it." Green eyes rose to connect with Abel's glacial blue ones. "She was traumatized last night just by the fact that you were nearly killed. You saw her this morning; you saw what she looked like. Going back to Albion would be a hundred times worse for her."

The silver haired man inwardly shivered at the memory. Last night Esther had been fine, a little shaky from nearly getting killed. But upon seeing her in the morning, Abel was haunted by the image.

Esther had been sitting on the end of her bed, staring blankly at the floor. Her face was pale, and under her eyes were dark bruises, telling Abel, Esther had not slept at all. The once beautiful sapphire eyes were now dark and haunted. Just seeing her like that made Abel stop dead in his tracks and twisting the heart in his chest. What shook him even more was how when he called out to her name, even kneeled in front of her, Esther never answered. She didn't even react to his presence; the image was heartbreaking.

"Yes…" he said softly, looking at his hands in defeat. "…I saw her…but we need her…"

Seth sighed. "I'll talk to her, but if I can't persuade her, it's up to you Abel."

He nodded.

"So we gonna get a plan made up or what?" roughly spoke up Leon.

The young girl's expression changed from a worried friend to a strong ruler. "We will discuss strategies; we need to confront the Orden before they attack again."

"_And the race is on,"_ thought Abel, eyeing the sky outside.

———

Knocking on the door, Abel received no answer. So slowly pushing the bedroom door open, he peeked in. There was no one on the bed this time, of that he was glad, but there were clothes. Stepping in, Abel didn't find the person he was looking for.

"Esther…you here…" he asked aloud.

The sound of a door opening at his back caused Abel to spin and face it; thinking it was another assassin sent by Cain. What he got instead was an eyeful of the person he was looking for. Drops of water clung to her ebony and crimson hair, sparkling in the constant twilight. Her pale skin shades darker then the ivory linen wrapped around her from, leaving little to Abel's imagination. The damp towel ended mid-thigh; trails of water from her shower still traveling down her long shapely legs. Abel gulped, unable to look away.

That was till Esther finally noticed him standing there with his mouth gapping and eyes as wide as saucers.

"ABEL!!!"

That shook the priest from his starring. "Esther!!" he cried spinning so his back was to her. "I am **SO** sorry! I shouldn't have barged in here like this!!" Able was glad his back was turned, because he could feel his face growing red hot, and feared he might melt from the heat.

Scuffling of cloth was heard as Esther rushed about for a robe. "…I-It's alright, Abel….I'm just glad I came out with a towel on…" she said, mumbling the last more to herself, not knowing Abel had heard.

He blushed even more.

A gentle hand on his shoulder gained Abel's attention. Looking down he found a smiling and blushing Ester. A single drop of water hung stubbornly to an ebony strand of hair; sparkling in the light.

"I forgive you Abel," she said with a slight chuckle. "Are you going to implode Lord Prince? Your face is all red."

Abel pouted as he looked away, but eyed Esther when she laughed some more at his expense. The robe she wore was black silk he noticed, covered with beautiful butterflies in an array of colors. Even through all her laughter, that little drop of water continued to cling stubbornly to the ebony strands.

Esther's soft laughed subsided, her eyes shining with mirth. "I hope seeing me like that didn't break some priestly law."

Abel chuckled at that as he turned to fully face the young woman at his side. "I'm not exactly part of the clergy anymore, so I think I'm safe," he said while reaching up and running his hand through Esther's hair. That drop of stubborn liquid finally vanishing into the cloth of Abel's glove. "You should dry off and get dressed; we can't have you catching a cold."

Sapphire eyes blinked innocently as the pale freckled face glowed pink. "…yea…" Esther finally managed to get out a she looked away from the priest, Abel's hand falling to her shoulder. "…I probably should…"

Still blushing strongly, the redhead grabbed some clothes and vanished behind the changing screen in the far corner of her bedroom. Abel was left smiling softly to himself; this afternoon's behavior was a huge improvement to Esther's morning behavior.

"Was there something you wanted Lord Prince?" she called from behind the screen.

"No, I just came to see how you were doing. Last night was traumatizing for you…"

The shuffling of cloth stopped, stating wordlessly that Esther had grown serious. "…it was…but not for the reason you think Abel."

"Then what is the reason?"

The sound of cloth on skin filled the room as Esther returned to dressing and thinking over her words carefully. "…if I had succeed in killing myself…you could very well be dead right now Abel. No one here understands Isaak on the level that I do…we could have lost everything if I had been so selfish…" Her voice trailed mournfully and no other sound was heard.

Turning around, Abel found Esther standing behind him, head bowed and eyes guilty. She was dressed in rather simple clothes but in the colors of Ion's house; her house. The trousers were slim fitting; the lower half tucked into her knee high boots. A cream shirt with Empire's simple clung to Esther's curves, while crimson, cerulean and more cream colored short jacket over it. The sleeves were short, allowing her to wear decorated arm guards of crimson and cream; everything being accented by gold.

The ancient man found Esther to be very beautiful in her choice of dress, but she was always beautiful in Abel's opinion. Glacial blue eyes took her in as he waited patiently for Esther to finish, because he knew she had more to say.

"…I'm sorry Abel…for almost ruining this battle…"

Stepping forward, he reached up and placed a hand under Esther's chin, forcing her to look up at him. Sapphire orbs met arctic and Abel's warm comforting smile. "But you didn't and everything is alright," he said grinning further. "Have I said thank you for saving my life?"

A warm smile spread across Esther's face as her eyes began to sparkle with joy. "No, but you don't have to, it's what I do. A Guardian is there to guard their charge, and I watched over you for too long to slack of now, don't you think?"

They laughed together at that; all previous unease vanishing.

"Well I'd like to thank you anyway."

Esther struggled not to blush, but did anyway. "…you're welcome Abel."

The door opening started the pair, causing Abel to release Esther from his gentle hold.

"Esther?" called Ion as he walked in with a smile on his face. That smile though, fell at seeing Abel with his daughter. "There you are Esther! We're to meet the Duke of Tigris in an hour; we have to hurry if we don't want to be late."

The shine vanished in Esther's eyes as she nodded. "I'm ready."

Abel blinked. "Duke of Tigris?" Suddenly Schera's face flashes through his mind…poor Schera.

Ion stepped further into the room and nodded as he made his way to his daughter. "Yes, Esther and I have dinner with a distant relative of Lord Salomon's. He has taken Salomon's place as the Duke of Tigris."

The young woman scowled at the floor as a look of understanding crossed the ancient man's face. Esther saw the look in Abel's eyes; a look of hurt for both their sakes.

"So…this dinner is to…"

Ion remained expressionless. "This is your concern how, Lord Prince?"

Esther glared up at the blonde. "That's enough Duke of Moldova," she said strongly. "You are the one trying to set me up with some stuck up noble!"

"That's enough Esther! We are leaving; good day Father Nightroad." And though gentle, Ion forced Esther out the door. Before vanishing out the door, those sad sapphire eyes gave the stationary Crusnik one final glance.

"Couldn't you have worn something more lady like," inquired Ion in annoyance, still in hearing range of Abel's keen ears.

Esther's huff could be heard, as well as her retort. "Be happy I'm not wearing my sword…"

That made Abel smile as their voices and footsteps faded out of his range of hearing. He was left standing alone in Esther's room, staring over the Empire. The look on Ion's face and his behavior was starting to bother Abel. Perhaps it was time to talk to Seth and what she knew about the Duke's reasons for not liking him.

———

Seth blinked up at her brother from where she sat on a garden bench. "You want to know about Ion?"

Abel nodded. "We may not have gotten along extremely well in the past, but his behavior is less the hospitable compared to before. I'd like to know what I've done to get on his bad side."

The young ruler smirked. "That's an easy one Abel, its Esther."

Sighing, he sat down. "I figured as much, but what exactly did I do."

"Ion is angry because Esther, choose to protect you instead of staying here and learning to be the heir to the Moldova household. And her injuries upon returning, Ion blames you for them, whether or not she was protecting. His frustration is misplaced, but he's Esther's father, he has a right to be overprotective."

"That's true, but I never asked Esther to do all that…"

Seth sighed. "Geez Abel, you're really thick."

He blinked innocently. "Wha?!"

Seth rolled her eyes. "Men are so dense," she breathed. "Tell me Abel, when you learned Sister Esther had married, to Ion no less, what was your honest reaction?"

Upon being asked that question, Abel thought back and remembered his reactions. He had been hurt and jealous of the aristocratic Methuselah. Abel had left for Esther's well being and to let her rule Albion affectively, but it still was painful to accept his decision; let alone make it. He had always thought of her married and happy…but part, an inkling of hope thought of Esther waiting for him. Giving her heart only to him…it was a naïve hope, and Abel knew it was an empty wish. And hearing the painful truth just hurt more.

He sighed, hanging his silver crowned head. "…I was hurt, and jealous that Ion was able to spend time with Esther till the very end…time I wished to have with her…"

"I thought as much," Seth stated blandly. "Then you may understand Ion's position. You were always first in Sister Esther's eyes and constantly at the forefront of her mind; no matter what Ion did to impress her. All through their marriage Ion watched Esther mourn you and still continued to love you. Now his losing his daughter to you…always second best; that's his way of thinking of it no doubt. It doesn't matter if he's Esther's father or not…he doesn't want to see his little girl go."

Abel looked up at his little sister. "Losing to me?"

Seth smirked. "He's afraid that his little Esther is falling in love with you."

Glacial eyes blinked as a rosy color grew in the man's cheeks as he bowed his head. "W-What!? L-Love me? Esther…t-that's not…"

"Possible?" finished the little emperor. "Love may at this time be too strong of a word Abel, but I've seen the looks she gives you when you're not looking. It may not be love, but I'd say it's at least some kind of form of affection."

This was surprising to him, but Abel couldn't deny the warmth swelling of joy that gripped his heart. He couldn't stop the smile that crept across his face.

"I saw that!"

His head shot up. "Saw what?"

Jade eyes narrowed as a finger rose to point at the priest's face. "That smile, a real, happy, not goofy smile; you like Esther too don't you Abel?"

"S-She's a good friend…she looked out for me all that time…she still does. I owe her a lot, even if I didn't—don't deserve it."

Scowling, Seth surged to her feet and stood in front her brother, getting right up into his face. "Don't lie to me Abel; you can't fool me! I have the eyes of a hawk; you give Esther looks all the time! I saw how you protected her when you crashed through my roof; wrapping your wings around her with no concern for your own safety."

He looked away. "…I care for her…she's a close friend…"

The Emperor sighed. "…whatever…" she breathed and turned on her heel. "Goodnight Abel."

"…Seth…" trailed Abel as he watched his little sister go. She never stopped or looked back at him, just kept on going with her shoulders set in a strained fashion as if hurt. When she was out of sight Abel let out a sigh of defeat. "…that ended well."

Leaning his head back, silver tresses flowed over the back of the bench as Abel stared up at the crescent moon; the stars twinkling merrily in the blanket of navy sky. Nights like these always reminded him of Esther, he had no clue why, but the many times he saw the little star washed in moonlight. He remembered on the Tristan, how she sat in the window seal, looking like an angel. Moonlight always made Esther shine with a new kind of beauty. She always brought a smile to his face…

He sighed again, running a gloved hand down his face. "…perhaps I am dense…"

Perhaps Abel cared more for Esther then he even realized. He further pondered on his feelings for the redhead since Seth got him thinking on it. How long he sat there thinking over things, Abel wasn't sure, but he was drawn from his thoughts by soft angry ranting.

Getting up and tracking down said voice, he found the object of his previous thoughts. Striding through the garden drenched and fuming was the redhead herself.

"Esther…?"

Said young woman turned to the call of her name. "Abel? What are you doing out here so late?"

Walking up to her, he just gave a shrug accompanied with a smile. "Oh, I was just thinking, but what about you? And why are you soaked to the bone?"

The redhead shivered as she scowled and hugged herself against the chill of the night. "The Duke of Tigris is a perverted pompous snob!! He kept flirting with me throughout dinner; barely keeping his hands to himself the whole evening. Then he had the nerve to ask me on a stroll in the gardens, and I couldn't refuse because father would have reprimanded me on it later." The scowl deepened as crimson brows knitted; a growl vibrating in her throat. "Then he proceeded to try and kiss me; that pig! I shoved him away, but the prick latched onto me and took me with him into the stupid fountain!!"

Shivering more Esther glowered. Abel smiled down at her, rather liking her pouting, angry drenched expression that was directed at him, but not the reason behind it. "Is that all?"

"No…" she droned, shoulders drooping. "Ion was angry at me for shoving us into the fountain. I was protecting myself from that snob! He didn't even believe me…my own father…"

His face fell at that. Seeing Esther shiver some more, Abel removed the overcoat to his priest robes and draped them over her shoulders. Holding her close he stroked her back in comforting circles; smiling down at Esther to cheer her up.

"Thank you Abel," she murmured blushing slightly as she hugged the heavy cloth closer to her body in search of more heat, enjoying how Abel's scent clung to the cloth.

"I'm happy to be of help Esther, but let's get you dried off and into dry clothes."

Nodding from where she was tucked under his arm, Esther followed the hapless priest to his room. She had no clue why Abel's room, but thought it the better choice because it was closer then hers. But now she stood in the center of his room, cozy in his overcoat as Abel sought out towels.

"Found' em," he called and from the bathroom he came out carrying some ivory towels in his arms. "Now sit on the bed and we can dry you off."

Esther blinked at the large comfy bed. "…your bed will get wet…" with that she went and sat on the small sofa instead, stretching out her arms for the towels.

Coming to kneel before the young woman, Abel smiled and dropped a towel upon Esther's head; proceeding to dry her hair gently himself.

"Abel…I can dry myself off; I'm not a child," Esther droned in a slight whine as she peeked out from under the linen.

He laughed at the blushing cuteness that the young expressed. "Well the temperature is dropping and I can't have you getting sick can I?" he said drying her face with a corner of the cloth. "I hate seeing my friends sick…"

Sapphire eyes took the priest in with a warm expression; pink painting her cheeks. Esther stopped complaining at that and let Abel continue his gentle work of drying her off. Esther just snuggled up in the overcoat, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the silver haired man. After a time of pleasant silence, she spoke.

"…thanks…for worrying about me…I'm not used to be worried about."

Looking up, Abel smiled. "Oh, I wouldn't say that…everyone here was worrying about you while you were looking after me, but worrying is what friends and family do." Removing the towel from her head, Abel ruffled her hair a bit to see how it was; it was almost completely dry. "There…all better."

The blush coloring Esther's face only grew as she stared into her lab with a struggling thought. Abel just kneeled there, staring at her, waiting for her to say something. But much to his surprise, Esther never said a word, but instead Abel found her wrapped around his neck in a hug. He was stiff with surprise for a bit, before he relaxed and wrapped his arms around the young woman. Enjoying how Esther relaxed so happily in his arms.

"You are a good friend…" she whispered into the crock of Abel's neck, Esther's grip tightening slightly. "…never forget that..."

Her words and tone were new to Abel. Esther spoke as if she was going off somewhere. With word of happy endearment to a friend she let an undertone of farewell, ring through in her words. He didn't like it; it made him uneasy, so just like that Abel tightened his grip a little more.

"…Esther…" he murmured. "What—"

"Goodnight Abel…" Esther whispered, a smile in her voice as the redhead released her grip and stood, breaking Abel's hold effortlessly. "We'll be busy from now on with formulating a plan; get some rest, you'll need it."

He stared after her in confusion. Esther had just left him kneeling there in the middle of his bedroom. Abel watched with curious glacial eyes as the teen grabbed the door handle, twisting it and pulling it open.

"Wait…Esther!"

He was up and after her retreating form. The door clicked shut with a soft echo, the panel playing as the barrier Abel had always felt between them, but he wasn't going to let it stay that way. Grabbing hold of the handle Abel whipped the door open to find…

Nothing.

Esther was nowhere in sight. Her figure wasn't even down the long hallway. Leaving Abel to believe she had retreated with the aid of "haste". Her behavior lately was steadily growing stranger and he was anxious on why. Sighing though, the ancient man retreated back into his bedroom; rest sound good right about then. Abel would seek out Esther another time, so he left the flapping curtains to the open window to continue their peaceful dance in the night breeze.

The door clicking behind him, made an eerie click as it echoed down the hall.

———

The next day everyone of importance in the fight against the Contra Mondi gathered in the Council Hall. Even Esther, though she sat reluctantly on Seth's left across from Abel, who sat on the Emperor's right.

"So you'll help Esther?" inquired Seth gently.

The redhead slouched in her chair scowled with arms crossed over her chest, but nodded none the less. "I don't have much of a choice. None of you know where you're going and Ion doesn't know all the secret passages; I do. All of you will only succeed in getting yourselves killed if you go without me, and we—I can't have that."

Though she was slightly arrogant in her words, everyone at the table gave a jovial smile or smirk…Hugue being the only oddity with his slight nod. Their means for getting into the palace and getting around was secure.

"So how do we proceed?" inquired Havel.

Seth tapped a finger against her lips in thought. "We need to get there as soon as possible, and take only the necessary people. The smaller the force the easier it will to infiltrate Buckingham Palace without incident."

"We fly."

All eyes in surprise stared at a stern faced Esther.

"Fly?" repeated Abel. "…isn't flying in a huge ship going to draw attention? If we attack from the sky, everyone will know we're there. The Iron-Maiden II isn't made to be stealthy…I'm right aren't I Sister Kate?"

The holographic nun nodded. "Iron-Maiden was never build with stealth in mind…however," droned Kate nervously.

"However," stated Esther taking up where Kate had ended. "The Iron-Maiden can be equipped with a cloaking device. But the Vatican warship won't be our vehicle of entrance; we need the Ghost for this mission. It's silent and invisible to practically every means of detection and it's small but big enough to carry all of us."

"The Ghost?" murmured Abel unfamiliar with ship, but everyone else was somber at the mere mention of it. "What's wrong?"

Seth sighed, giving Esther a critical stare. "It's a proto-type ship. Its intention was to be a spying vessel, capable of high speed and constant clocking. However, the tests so far are not promising. In every test the engine has overheated and exploded due to the speed and the energy needed to clock the ship."

Abel blinked. "…oh, that would be a problem."

Esther straightened from her slouch. "I can sort things out before we leave. I've seen the test results and I think I know a way to correct the engine's overheating. This project is my baby after all."

"The Ghost was your idea Esther?!" exclaimed Abel. "You're a mechanic too!? You're just full of surprises aren't you Esther."

The young woman smirked.

Seth wasn't so sure. "What if you can't get it up and working properly in the few days we have?"

"That's not an option; I will have it running Your Majesty."

The ebony haired girl-child was still hesitant, but nodded none the less. "Alright Esther," she said giving her confidence to Esther's determination. "Now that we have a means to get to Albion… what next? We need a way to infiltrate the palace, anyone have any ideas?"

Though the whole group was questioned, it was only one person that had an answer to that question, and everyone knew it.

Esther stippled her agile fingers together. "We'll come up from the catacombs," she stated with stern calculation. "There's a passage from the church Abel was buried at to the catacombs; only Her Majesty knew about it and later myself. Not even Ion knows about it." Upon looking at the Duke, all found him rather put out by the information. "Does that sound reasonable Your Majesty, Lord Prince?"

Abel nodded. "It'll keep up out of sight as much as possible, but how about when we get to the palace itself. We don't know where Cain or any of the other Orden members will be."

The scowl upon Esther's face deepened, eye looking like the color of troubled water to Abel's eyes.

"Best bet would be in three different places," Esther murmured thoughtfully, everyone at the table intently listening to her. "The throne room would be obvious as well as the Royal Suite for the ruler of Albion."

"Then there's the Royal Study and library," explained Ion calmly. "Any matters concerning the country and its civilians were discussed there. That is if the Contra Mondi has kept everything in place and uses the rooms accordingly, Cain will be in one of those rooms."

"But there's no certainty?" inquired the Professor, thoughtfully taking drags from his favored pipe.

Ion nodded regrettably.

"Oh that's very helpful," exclaimed Asthe in frustration; golden eyes piercing. "We get in there and it's a wild goose chase to find the enemy!"

Esther looked at the somber Crusnik siblings. "You wouldn't happen to have some kind of sixth-sense to figure out where Cain is would you?"

Seth shook her head, Abel giving her a sad smile. "If I did, don't you think I would have tracked him down and killed him long before this?"

Esther dodged those sad eyes as she nodded glumly. "…yea…good point…we'll have to split up then; cover more ground that way. One group will take the bedroom, the other will take the throne room and study; those two are close enough to do it."

"Is it safe to do that?" grumbled Leon.

The red and ebony haired teen smirked, flashing her fangs. "The whole thing is dangerous Leon, but I'm sure Hugue will keep a damsel in distress like you safe."

"Hey Red…I am nod a damsel in distress!!" Esther just smirked, further pissing of the Dandelion.

"Esther is right," spoke up Hugue in his monotone voice, killing all other conversation. "Two groups will cover more ground; we have no choice."

Unfortunate as it was, it was true. The probability of them finding Cain was higher if they split up and bigger groups were harder to keep hidden. The whole mission was suicidal; everyone knew it, but it had to be done. The very world was in peril; they could not sit around and do nothing, when it was in their power to do something. Perhaps if luck was on their side the victory of this ancient war would be theirs.

Esther stood from her tall back chair. "Discuss the finer details of the mission and let me know later; I have a ship to work on." Then the fiery teen was out the door, leaving them all to discuss the assault on her desecrated home.

The race to save the world was on and rapidly coming to close.

**A/N: And there we have it…all done. I do apologize for the long wait…*chuckles nervously*…hope not too many of you are mad at me…too much. But anyway…there should be a update sooner than this one, but I've proved myself a liar before, so…umm…cross your fingers !**

**BLAZE**


	21. Time Is All We Have II

Disclaimer: …don't own any of Trinity Blood…after so long saying this gets really annoying…

**Last time:**

Unfortunate as it was, it was true. The probability of them finding Cain was higher if they split up and bigger groups were harder to keep hidden. The whole mission was suicidal; everyone knew it, but it had to be done. The very world was in peril; they could not sit around and do nothing, when it was in their power to do something. Perhaps if luck was on their side the victory of this ancient war would be theirs.

Esther stood from her tall back chair. "Discuss the finer details of the mission and let me know later; I have a ship to work on." Then the fiery teen was out the door, leaving them all to discuss the assault on her desecrated home.

The race to save the world was on and rapidly coming to close.

**This Time:**

**Forget Me Not**

**Chapter XXI – Time Is All We Have II**

Everyone was busy; hustling about the palace for whatever reason. The ones that were to launch an assault on the Order were even more so. If they were not sleeping, they were either in the council chamber discussing battle plans or doing weapon checks and training. However, there was one individual that was barely seen, if at all. Hours ticked by and Esther worked in the Ghost's hanger with a relentless vigor. Her health was beginning to worry them all, when she never appeared for meals or in her bedroom.

- 3 ½ Days later –

Abel had just finished his quiet dinner in his chambers; everyone else busy with their own things to join him in the dining hall. They were to leave in the morning, and get to their destination at dusk. Last minute things had to be done and everyone was on edge; the silver haired priest was no different. Bu the worst thing being that they had no word from Esther on how their means of transportation was doing. Last anyone had seen or heard from the little star was a day and a half ago.

The Vatican Crusnik was concerned that Esther would have worked herself so hard that she'd be near useless for the attack against the Order the come morning. And she was of great importance; their guide through the whole operation. So Abel's next step was to speak with Seth about the redhead and then go to the hanger and see if he can't get some food in her and some well deserved sleep. Esther had forbidden anyone to enter unless it was inform her of her ready dinner; more often than not dinner went cold, with rare occasions of being carried away. The other exception was being that Esther was summoned for whatever reason, and that had to be by the Emperor, or she wouldn't show.

"…Esther… you stubborn girl…" he breathed out, walking to Seth's personal chambers. Once there before the intricate designed doors, Abel knocked.

"Who is it?" questioned the Emperor in her strong ruler tone.

Seth was such a paradox, even to her elder sibling. "It's me."

"Oh Abel! Good it's you; come on in!"

Pushing the double doors wide, glacial eyes gazed into the nearly indoor garden chambers. Green plants and blooming flowers were everywhere; the fragrant air filling the Crusnik's senses. Small animals scurried around everywhere, their small calls telling all residence of the room of their presence. Among it all was Seth's colorful furniture; in the center of the room, at the sitting area sat the Emperor herself. But she wasn't alone; Mika Fortuna sat across from her; dressed in her purple and pink dress of frills and bows.

Striding forward, Abel stopped some feet from them both and gave a respectable bow. "Good evening Your Majesty, Lady Fortuna."

"Lord Prince," nodded Mika, showing her respect.

"Aren't we formal today," smirked Seth as she leaned back on the couch, looking more like a child playing dress up in her fancy clothes, then the ruler of the Empire. "What are you after this time Abel?"

Confused, Able blinked at his little sister. "W-What? But I don't want anything Seth! Can't an older brother come and talk to his little sister without being questioned for a hidden agenda?"

The green eyed girl raised a brow. "Really? Cuz you look like you're on a mission Abel. Would there happen to be a little redhead we know and love behind this little visit?"

Pale cheeks warmed with the light splash of pink as Abel lowered his eyes. Seth had hit the nail on the head.

"Thought so," Mika and Seth stated in unison and soon joined each other in an episode of snickering as Abel scowled at them with pouting lips.

"I'm concerned about her, is there something wrong with that? Esther has cooped herself up in that hanger for days; barely seeing anyone and eating little to next to nothing. And don't get me started on sleep; she could be a zombie by now."

Seth nodded as her smile fell. "I understand Abel, I'm worried too; we all are. You worry enough for all of us for that matter. But you came here to get my permission and the keys, didn't you…just to keep Esther from ripping you a new one. Am I right?"

Abel nodded.

From somewhere on her, the younger Crusnik pulled out a four pronged golden key. Seth tossed it at Abel and the clumsy priest actually caught it, even with the slight difficulty. "Use that and you'll get in. If Esther tries to bit your head off tell her I sent you. Tell her to get some sleep before tomorrow too; she'll need it."

He gave a wide goofy grin. "Thanks Seth!" Abel was quickly out the doors and on his way to the hanger, leaving the woman to grin amongst themselves.

"You were right, Your Majesty; it's written all over his face."

Seth sighed, starring after her brother. "Everyone knows it except the two of them. They're both blind if you ask me."

Mika chuckle, "Abel has realized it with time, it's Esther that's the problem."

Seth smirked. "She's a handful alright, but Abel can handle her…" The young girl mentally sighed. _"…of that I have no doubt…"_ she thought.

— — —

The heavy metal doors barely clicked shut behind him with an eerie hollow 'shink' sound before Esther's voice rang out.

"Whoever you are, you better have a good reason for bothering me! Because I'll rip you a new one…big time, if you don't have a good reason!"

Blinking and slightly frightened, Abel remained where he was; silent as he could be. Esther's voice had come from somewhere on the polished silver ship. There was the jingle of tools and the mutterings of curses; Abel stealthily followed those clues. Soon he found the redhead with her head stuck into a compartment near what he thought looked like an engine. Legs barely touching the tall latter that kept her up there; a good 15 feet off the ground if not more.

"I'm busy here! If you're not the Emperor of the New Human Race, get out!"

Apparently she had heard him coming.

"Don't I count," he asked timidly, a pout clearing heard in Abel's voice.

"Abel!" cried a surprised Esther as her head shot up.

Unfortunately for her, her crimson crowned head hit the lid to whatever she had been working on. The sound her skull made upon impact with the heavy medal cover was a loud clank. It was so loud that Abel feared Esther had cracked her head open. However that wasn't the last of his worries. The blow to the head had Esther disoriented and losing her balance on the good fifteen foot latter. Upon that realization, the redhead's left foot left the platform, causing her to fall backwards.

"Esther!"

Rushing forward, Able barely managed to catch the young woman from another painful impact with the cement floor. The sudden weight of catching Esther with his unbalanced body, it was no surprise they tumbled to the ground. Still Abel held Esther close; tucked into his arms and lying on his lap. She appeared unharmed from the fall by appearances as glacial eyes took her in, but Abel decided to ask anyway.

"Esther, you alright…?"

The girl groaned, holding her aching head. "…oww…my head…" Esther groaned more lifting a single eye lid to squint up at her savior. "You surprised me Abel…"

He gave an apologetic grin. "I'm sorry, how's your head?"

"Fine…it's no biggy…"

"Here…let me see…" he said as Abel gently moved Esther's hand away. Delicately the priest stroked the back of the girl's head. She hissed and flinched but didn't move away, just remained where she was in Abel's lap; blushing as it were. By the end of it Abel had found nothing that was serious. "You're fine; no bleeding or fracture, you'll just have a bump on the head."

She chuckled, staring up at him. "Oh yippy…a bruised skull."

Abel chuckled in return, a smile gracing his face. "As long as you live right? That was a nasty fall Esther."

Esther's cheeks burned with a blush as she nodded in agreement. "…thank you…for catching me."

"I couldn't let you fall now could I; it was my fault after all!"

"I'm fine so don't worry about it Abel."

Thought reluctant to shove off such an incident, Abel nodded none the less. "Can you stand?"

"Don't know till I try." And with care Esther pushed herself to her feet. All the while Abel rose and was ready to catch the redhead if a case of vertigo hit her. It never happened. "There! All better!"

He smiled. "Other than the bruised skull that is," Abel said. "What were you doing up there anyway?" he asked, gazing up at the airship and the spot where Esther had been before her spill off the latter and into Abel's eager arms.

Esther shrugged. "Just some last minute wiring; everything else is done," she said in a matter of fact voice. "You can come up if you want Abel," Esther said gesturing to the latter and the ledge of the ship Abel could perch on.

Abel blinked up at the spot. "You're not going to rip me a new one, are you if I do?"

Esther blushed but laughed as well. "No I won't; you're the exception. You can keep me company; so up you get." Not want to anger the young woman Abel did just that and climbed the latter.

Once there and in the opening of the engine, Abel looked over the edge to help Esther up. She wasn't there though, staring up at him as he had expected her to be. She wasn't even there behind him climbing the latter.

"Wha?"

Girlish giggles sounded by the priest's side. The silver haired man looked up and found none other than the redhead he had been searching for. It was the first time Abel took notice of Esther's attire. She wore a light blue mechanic jump suit; the top half unzipped and removed so the arms were tied around Esther's slim waist. The white shirt she wore beneath had no sleeves and revealed her mid-section slightly; all the while clinging to the redhead's curving frame. Upon her feet were some worn lace-up boots with an inch or so heel. But covering her clothes were splashes of grease and oil; hands nearly all blackened with it. There was even a black smear upon Esther's right cheek bone. To Abel Esther's scuffled hair and worked appearance was more attractive then he would have expected.

Shaking his head to clear it of the haze Esther had inspired. "How'd you get up here so fast?"

She blinked. "I jumped of course. You can sit over there while I finish this up," Esther stated as she gestured for him to lean against the side of the ship.

Relaxing into his seat, Abel watched as Esther kneeled by the open hatch. Tools littering the area about her, one's distinct to the technology of the Empire. Meaning the priest didn't have a clue on what they did. Abel's glacial eyes just took in the young woman concentrating intently on her work. Esther's wide range of expressions as she worked making Abel smirk. All the while as Esther did her job, her face scrunched up in faces; mainly her tongue ended up outside her mouth and pointed to the ceiling. It was rather cute of her to do. It reminded Abel of a child trying really hard to keep inside of the lines when coloring.

He chuckled as Esther did it again. "Does sticking your tongue out help Esther?"

The Methuselah girl's head shot up, with a scarlet hue to her cheeks, nearly the color of her very bright red hair. Sapphire eyes were wide in Esther's embarrassed shocked; mouth agape with no words forth coming. She just stared at the man before her dumbstruck.

That is till a stream of oil came from the hatch, breaking Esther's eye contract.

"Ahh! Oh crap!" Esther cried, fumbling with whatever had caused the problem.

The stream was finally successfully turned off after not too long of time. However, much to Abel's amusement and Esther's horror, she did not go untouched by the incident. Half of her face, and crimson hair was covered in the black-brown substance. The right side of her face and shoulder having taken most of the damage as well; the white shirt wasn't so white any more. The jump-suit eve dirtier then it was before. Esther was very un-amused, if her annoyed oil covered expression was any indication for the priest. And Abel couldn't stop the laughter if he tried, and neither did he want to.

Esther scowled at the laughing man, holding his sides as if his laughter would cause Abel to explode. As nice as it was to see the rather burden and sullen individual laugh as he did, the teen wasn't happy with it being directed at her. Crimson brows furrowed further as Esther swept a hand through her hair to get the oil drenched tresses out of her face.

"It's not funny Abel…"

His laughter ensued.

Esther glared, struggling to wipe her face off with an already oil covered hand. "…Nightroad…"

Finally, the fits of mirth racking the priest's body slowly subsided. Still grinning widely though, Abel removed his glasses and wiped away his mirthful tears. "…oh, I'm sorry Esther…it's just…" he stopped to chuckle and pulled out a handkerchief from his robes, kneeling before the put out young woman. "…it was just too funny…the look on your face was priceless!"

"…glad I amuse you Abel…" she said flatly with a scowl.

Abel gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry…" he murmured and began to wipe away the oil eclipsing porcelain skin. "…I haven't laughed that hard in a long time though…"

Silence ensued as Esther quietly sat there as Abel cleaned her up the best he could, with what he had. Intent on doing his job of cleaning her up, Abel never took notice of the burning blush that lurked beneath the dirty oil. Just wiped away what he could with his small white cloth; moving Esther's chin gently with a hand. The silence was as awkward as it was intense, still Abel didn't notice so intent on his job.

"There! All better; I can finally see that pretty face again!"

Esther blushed even further. The heat in her cheeks she half believed would cause the oil that remained to melt off! The priest always seemed to not to notice how he affected her and how Abel's words always got a blush out of her.

"…t-thank you, Abel…" Esther finally managed to get out; still blushing but hiding it behind her hair. "…but now your handkerchief is dirty…"

He chuckled, a wide beaming smile on Abel's face. "Oh I wouldn't worry about that! The important thing is that you're no longer as dirty."

Staring up at him, Esther's sapphire eyes took in Abel's gorgeous and carefree smile, that innocent eye wrinkle of his; it was so much more cheerful and not forced like it so often seemed. But it was also contagious, because soon Esther found herself smiling and chuckling as well.

"Yea…I guess so," she murmured stroking her cheek, still feeling the warm from Abel's hand.

"Did I miss a spot…" Abel questioned innocently as he saw Esther stroke her cheek. Leaning in, he rested a hand just above Esther's own hand upon her cheek. Eyes of glacial ice blinked taking in the situation finally. Abel's eyes widened as he too gained a pink tinge to his pale handsome face. "Aaa…"

Esther blinked unsure of what to do. She wanted so badly to have Abel stroke her cheek as he did when he thought she was a sleep. Wanted to fill the thrill it brought with it again, but fully conscious. The redhead just didn't know what to do to get Abel to do that. Then there was the war they would wake to come morning. Should she really reach out to him now when both of them could very well die in the next 24 hours? She could see the outcome already…

"_Abel…I…"_ she thought, but the ability to do so verbally was lacking.

"Esther?"

"Huh?" she started; jerking back from her stupor and staring into Abel's face.

"You alright?" he asked, worry clear in his very words and eyes. "You looked so sad for a second there; you had me worried."

That hand began to fall as he spoke.

Before she really knew what she was doing, Esther grabbed Abel's hand and held it against her cheek. The warmth it held was instantly felt, the strength it possessed while being so soft and gentle at the same time. She didn't want it to leave; she closed her bliss but as well as sorrow.

"Esther…"

She tightened her grip on his hand. "Don't leave Abel…" she murmured, sounding almost desperate. "…just…stay here, where it's safe. Why does it have to be your duty?"

Taking her in, Abel was struck with conflicting emotions; his brows furrowed in distress of her words. Esther was showing so much emotion toward him then he had normally seen before. It was moving and thrilling; the warmth of her cheek seeping into his hand soon to warm the rest of him. She couldn't see it, but Abel smiled sadly at Esther; his thumb moving to stroke her cheek bone.

"Esther…I'm the only one that can stop him…" he spoke softly; mixing emotions in every word he uttered. "If I don't stop him, the world will be in danger; it already is with Cain alive."

With eyes stricken with distress and swelling tears, Esther stared up at her savior. "Still…I don't want you to go…" she said clinging to the hand caressing her cheek.

Looking her straight in the eyes, Abel lifted his other hand to hold Esther's face between them. "I have to do this Esther, but everything will work out fine…you'll see!" he said and to finish it off, Abel gave one of his reassuring smiles. "I won't die Esther, promise. And neither will you for that matter. Promise me that?"

She nodded, a smile on her face, though happy it still held a hint of sadness. "…promise…" Though the look in Esther's sapphire eyes showed that a promise alone could and would not keep them both alive, but it would make them try to though. "Can I ask you for a favor Abel?"

"Of course," he said beaming.

Raising her other hand, she rested it on top of Abel's, her fingers curling to squeeze it lightly. "…stay here with me…" she asked softly, lids falling shut. "…I don't want to sleep alone tonight…"

How could he deny a look like that? Full of need to feel safe and whole while riddled with fear of the uncertain. Esther showed it all on her face that was so young, but in her eyes her age showed. Abel couldn't deny her something so simple; he didn't have the heart to. But neither did he want to deny something like this from Esther. There was no better night then tonight to show just how much he cared, and he wouldn't have to utter a word.

He smiled softly, drawing Esther closer as easily as if Abel was drawing a feather into his embrace. "Of course Esther; I wouldn't have it any other way."

Esther smiled happily as she snuggled into Abel's heavy robes, curling up to his side. "Thank you Abel…"

Arm draped over her shoulders while, her crimson head rested on his shoulder, he ran his fingers through a portion of her hair that wasn't touched by the oil in a soothing gesture. "No, thank you…now go to sleep; we both need it."

"Hmm…kay…"

Smirking, Abel rested his head a top Esther's. He couldn't be happier then where he was right then had made him. There was no better place for him to be.

Quietly, Esther spoke again, but her voice telling the priest how close she was to sleep; tucked under his arm and snuggled up to his chest. "I wish this night would never end…"

"Me too Esther…me too," he whispered. "Now go to sleep."

Together, they fell into blissful sleep, their minds filled with happy dreams of better days.

— — —

Her heels clicked loudly, echoing slightly in the large and very empty hall. No one was around this late at night, but Seth was sure all were still awake. With the fight beginning in the morning, few would find sleep coming easily. That was why the young ruler was seeking out her elder brother. Seth though, couldn't find him; he wasn't in his room and he wasn't in the gardens.

"Where did that bean pole go?" she huffed, her expression pouting.

"You're Majesty?" spoke up the very distinct voice of the Marquee of Kiev.

Seth spun around to see said Methuselah closing the doors to the room behind her. "Ahh! Astharoshe, you not sleeping well?" It was obvious by the troubled look in her golden eyes and her vertical nature, but it was polite of Seth to ask. The aristocrat nodded. "Were you looking for Abel?" The ebony haired young woman nodded. "He went to check on Esther, I was hoping to ask him on how the ship was coming." "Would he still be in the hanger?" offered Astharoshe as guidance. "Hmm…maybe, but Esther doesn't like distractions while working. I wouldn't be surprised if Esther had kicked him out. I should check though…" Asthe nodded. "I'll accompany you." So the pair started down the hall once more, the sound of both pairs of heels sounding out. It wasn't long before Seth and Asthe came across a patrolling Father Tres. It was the Marquee that thought of asking him first. "Father Tres, can you find out where Abel is?" The android stopped before the pair of woman. "Affirmative…stand by." Then the sound of whirring and gears turning mixed with soft beeps could be heard from the auburn haired machine. After a few moment Tres' hazel eyes came back into focus on the pair before him. "Father Abel Nightroad is 731.3 ft North –East; 502 ft below our current position." The woman stared at the android. "Where exactly is that Tres?" inquired Seth, slightly dumbfounded look on her face. "The hanger," deadpanned the android father. "So he is there after all," exclaimed Seth more excited then would normally be expected. "Wonder if Esther knocked him out and left him there, or is actually interacting with him?" Astharoshe smirked. "I say knocked out; that girl did it to Leon and threatened to do so with Hugue…why not Abel. Plus, that pumpkin head can really be annoying when you're trying to work," said the aristocrat from personal experience. A mischievous gleam sparkled in Seth's jade eyes. "I say no to that, because she has a soft spot for Abel." Turning to the android she smiled and nodded. "Thank you Father Tres, you can continue with whatever you were doing." "Positive," once more deadpanned the man and strode away with heavy footsteps. "To the hanger then?" grinned Asthe; she was welcoming the distraction from the activity of the coming morning. Seth nodded grinning. "Let's go!" Before either of them could take even one step in their new direction, doors off to their right opened. Two blonde heads poked out and both with mischievous grins on their faces. Apparently Mika Fortuna and Sister Kate had over heard the conversation and whereabouts of the clumsy priest. "May we come along?" inquired Mika cheerfully, her favored white cat in her arms. "I haven't seen my dear great granddaughter in so long!" Seth nodded with a smirk and giggle. "Sure, what's your excuse Kate?" The holographic nun stood calm and in a proper manner with her hands folded and crossed before her, softly resting upon her skirt. "The results of the Ghost's status have yet to be given to me by the Guardian. I would like to know w the status and I'd like to run tests of my own." They all knew she just wanted to see Abel and Esther bonding; they all felt the same. So the group of curious woman made their way down to the hanger. No further interruptions occurred so in about ten minutes they were standing in front of the large medal doors. The lock and key pad showed it was unlocked, though Seth knew the code so either way they would have gotten in. However the unlocked part was strange. "I don't hear any crashes," stated Asthe grinning. "Either the Pumpkin Head is already unconscious or Esther isn't threatening him." Mika giggled. "She wouldn't hurt a hair on Abel's head; she's far to smitten with him." Seth nodded. "I agree with Mika…I bet their bonding." "Depends on their version of bonding," pointed out Kate. Which was true, both Abel and Esther seemed to bond under the strangest circumstances and ways. "Only one way to find out then isn't there," and the Emperor Augusta Vradica pushed a button and the doors opened. Much to the group's surprise, there wasn't any noise at all. No sound of tools tinkling, or the curses that goes with it when Esther works. There was no sound of their voices to signal them talking, not even Abel's slight snoring that signaled when he was knocked unconscious. All was silent in the huge compartment that housed the Ghost. "Where are they?" inquired Seth as she looked around. "Split up and see if we can't find them; Tres said Abel was in here." So they split up. Seth went to the little sitting area that was used by the mechanics on break; there was no one there. Kate went off in the direction of the office but didn't find the people in question, however did find the report she wanted. Mika walked to the back of the hanger, looking about the crates of parts and tools; still nothing. "Found them," whispered Asthe harshly from the right side of the silver and shiny ship that was the Ghost. All of the rest of them rushed over to the Marquee. But once there they found nothing, just a smirking Astharoshe. "Where are they?" asked Seth, jade eyes curious as they looked up at Asthe. "Up," stated the taller woman, pointing a finger up at the ship. Looking up, sure enough they found the pair in question. What was surprising though was the activity they were participating in. Abel and Esther were sound asleep as they leaned up against the side of the ships main cabin; snuggled up close to each other. Esther loosely clutched Abel's cassock, head resting on his should and chest. Abel in turn rested his head upon Esther's as one arm was placed about her shoulders in a relaxed embrace. On his face was something few had seen and something Seth had missed. Abel Nightroad, Crusnik 02 was smiling. A smile not stricken with any hidden dark emotions like sorrow or despair; that soft smile spread across his sleeping face was a true, genuine, pure smile of bliss and happiness. The group of on looking woman smiled happily upon seeing them. "It's so…adorable," breathed Lady Fortuna. "About time too," stated Asthe, crossing her arms over her chest. "They way they keep being oblivious about it gets irritating after a while." Seth chuckled. "Indeed; they both deserve happiness though, I'm glad they found some." "We should leave them be; they need their rest," murmured Kate, gesturing to the door they had entered through. In silence they nodded; softly stepping in their heels so not to wake Esther and Abel with the echo that would normally be heard. Filing out, all the women gave a fleeting glances and smiles to the sleeping pair. Seth smiled as she looked up at her elder brother holding the girl he cared for in his arms. "Sweet dreams you two," she murmured and was out the heavy door, closing it behind her. The thing that all hadn't noticed though, was the soft twinkling of something cascading slowly down Esther's cheek. It was a tear, the cause for it a mystery onto them all. A/N: Ahhhh! I'M SO SORRY! I never intended to leave you all hanging for so long! One thing happened after another and I literally forgot about this story for a time! I'm so sorry! This story is not ending yet, I have it written out, I'm just finding the time and encouragement to type it out to be lacking. But I still have no reason to have left you all for this long! You all have a right to be angry with me and have a good reason to hit me (holds up a sign with MERCY? written on it) but I will do my best to get the next chapter out when I can. 


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